ST. GEORGE — Washington County stands to benefit from more than $90 million in economic impact from the filming of the Kevin Costner film “Horizon, an American Saga.”
Shooting begins in May in the Washington County area for parts two and three of the four-film series. The first film was shot in and around Moab recently, according to a news release from the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office.
“The filming of ‘Horizon’ lays the groundwork for the Greater Zion region to diversify its tourism economy,” Joyce Kelly, sales manager for the Greater Zion tourism office, said in a news release. “Our distinct landscape has been the setting for several film and commercial shoots over the years but nothing of the magnitude of ‘Horizon’. This is a multiyear partnership with great economic benefit to the community but little impact to residents.”
Kelly said the filming of “Horizon” also is an excellent opportunity to expand the film program at Utah Tech University. Students will have an opportunity for internships and other hands-on experiences with the film. In addition, local citizens will have the chance to get involved as extras, crew and more.
The Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office will help facilitate communication of upcoming opportunities to get involved in “Horizon.” Interested businesses and residents should click here for more information and film announcements.
The Utah Film Commission and the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office have been working with Costner’s production company Territory Pictures to bring “Horizon” to the region.
“Horizon” is written, directed and stars Costner. The film depicts the settlement of the American West pre-and post-Civil War. The film will shoot at various undisclosed locations throughout Washington County in 2023.
“The State of Utah, with its intrinsic beauty, is the perfect backdrop for the story of ‘Horizon’ and can be said to be its own character in our story,” Costner said in a news release. “I am looking forward to bringing the production of this next installment of ‘Horizon’ to Washington County, and I want to thank Joyce Kelly who was tireless in her efforts to bring the west back to Utah and her beloved county and the Commission for their support in making that possible.”
The production manager for the Utah Film Commission, Derek Mellus said Utah’s film history is rooted in the Western genre and an epic Western like “Horizon” from Academy Award-winning director Costner will continue filming in Utah with the landscapes of Washington County as the backdrop.
“With a large-scale production like ‘Horizon’, local talent, crew and vendors will gain new opportunities for growth in the industry providing a lasting economic impact in the local community,” Mellus said.
According to a news release, Washington County provides a unique geological backdrop for filming as several geological regions converge – the Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin. The destination is in the northeasternmost part of the Mojave Desert and adjacent to the Pine Valley Mountains creating a scenic destination filled with red rock, black lava fields, stunning mountain peaks, desert canyons and so much more.
This picturesque setting has been the backdrop for classic films like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” popular hits like “High School Musical 2′” and Katy Perry’s 2016 “Rise” music video.
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