Kevin Costner's Horizon, which many believed to be connected to Yellowstone since they both featured Costner and were Westerns, was filmed in many locations throughout the western portion of the United States, truly immersing viewers in the American Frontier.
Horizon's Main Filming Locations
The majority of filming for Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 took place in southern Utah, a place Costner picked because of its natural beauty.
In an interview with Deseret News, Costner said that he "couldn't look away" from the landscape of Utah when he first visited, and immediately knew "that it would be the best possible thing for the movie" to be set there:
"I couldn’t look away. I knew the story wanted to be set there. I thought that it would be the best possible thing for the movie. There are these wide, open spaces that almost defy imagination. That kind of look is fabulous for a western."
However, it is also worth noting that Utah is a unique place in terms of filmmaking, as it offers directors an incentive program that provides a tax credit for money spent in rural areas around Utah. Seeing as how the production team spent around $120 million in Utah for Horizon Chapter 1, that would mean a big credit.
Horizon Chapter 1 was primarily filmed in Grand and San Juan counties, but here are the specific filming locations for the movie:
La Sal Mountains, Moab
The La Sal Mountain Range is located in Grand and San Juan counties, Utah, and was primarily used in Horizon Chapter 1 as an area where a set was built. Specifically, for the wooded scenery, the production crew built a set of a village in the mountains.
The La Sal Mountains have 12 peaks that are more than 12,000 feet above sea level, making it one of the most notable mountain ranges in Utah.
Colorado River, Utah
Another prominent filming location for Horizon Chapter 1 was the Colorado River. Amazingly, the production crew built an entire military fort next to the river.
In the above interview with Deseret News, the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission commissioner Bega Metzner talked about the Horizon crew building the fort, calling it "extraordinary" and "an amazing ride" to be a part of:
"It was extraordinary, being able to be part of the process from this bunch of guys, looking at blank slates, tabula rasa fields, then deciding that this was the place that they were going to design and build in their storyline. Working through that process with them has just been like an amazing ride."
The Colorado River itself is the fifth-longest river in the United States, making it an important geographical landmark. It runs through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado all the way through the Grand Canyon, meaning it is vital to some of the biggest places in the country.
San Rafael Swell, Emery County
The San Rafael Swell was another prominent filming location for Horizon Chapter 1 as it displays the beauty of Utah like few places across the entire state.
In the film, a wide shot showcased the massive canyon walls that have been subject to years of erosion.
The Swell measures 75 miles by 40 miles, making it a massive geological feature that many tourists love to visit when in Utah.
Professor Valley, Grand County
Professor Valley is another filming location used in Horizon Chapter 1 that likely made many viewers' mouths drop.
As seen in the film, it was used for a camp set up along a river. Behind the camp, red rock formations and towering, snow-covered mountain peaks were on display.
Professor Valley is one of the most accessible places in Utah to view red rock formations, desert vegetation, huge mountains, and water all in one place.
Fruit Bowl, Grand County
Like Professor Valley, Fruit Bowl is located in Grand County, Utah, and can be seen in Horizon Chapter 1.
Professor Valley puts red rock formations on display, but it can't compete with the backdrop Fruit Bowl gives viewers.
In one particular Horizon shot, an entirely flat plateau filled with vegetation can be seen in front of a massive formation of red rock. The red rock in the background clearly displays the millions of years of erosion that have formed its horizontal lines and different colors.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 caused a lot of controversy with fans since it was the reason Costner and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan got into some behind-the-scenes drama that affected the Paramount series' filming schedule and future.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is streaming on Max and Netflix.
