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According to Deadline, the upcoming series that would feature Costner playing Clinton is called United. It is in early development and being made in collaboration with the United Nations. The story is meant to be an ongoing exploration of the courageous sacrifices the U.N. makes across the globe.
Costner and Leonardo DiCaprio are looking to produce while Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Peacemaker star Chukwudi Iwuji is in talks to play UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Production is expected to begin in 2026, with shooting taking place in Atlanta and Spain. Appian Way, Onward Studios, and Prime Focus DNEG will produce the show.
While any specific plot details are under wraps, the roles of Clinton, Annan, and the UN point to it revolving around the 1999 East Timorese crisis. This involved pro-Indonesia militant groups attacking civilians after the majority of East Timor’s citizens voted for independence from Indonesia, and at least 1,400 citizens were killed. The UN, President Clinton and his administration, and other global powers stepped in to help deescalate the crisis.
There are a wide range of Kevin Costner movies and shows, but the prolific actor has never played a U.S. president before. He was offered the role of President James Marshall in Air Force One but turned it down as the movie conflicted with filming for The Postman.
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United would not be the first time that Costner has played a real-life figure, though. He played Eliot Ness, an American Prohibition agent in The Untouchables, District Attorney Jim Garrison investigating President John F. Kennedy’s death in JFK, and lawman Wyatt Earp in a movie of the same name.
The news of Costner playing Clinton also comes as uncertainty continues around his Horizon movie franchise. The first installment was a significant box office disappointment. Reviews for Horizon: Chapter 2 were lackluster after debuting at the Venice Film Festival, and the sequel was pulled from the August 2024 theatrical release calendar.
Regardless of what happens with the Horizon films, though, United could become the next major television role for Kevin Costner in the post-Yellowstone stage of his career.
