Kevin Costner’s favorite Western is a John Wayne classic

On the cusp of Horizon: An American Saga’s release, Kevin Costner has revealed his favorite Western of all time, and it’s a John Wayne must-see.

It should come as no surprise that John Wayne is the star of Costner’s favorite Western film. As one of the most iconic stars of the genre, the only names who even come close to touching his cowboy stardom are Clint Eastwood, Kurt Russell, and… well, Kevin Costner.

Horizon: An American Saga is Costner’s passion project 30 years in the making. It’s his love affair with the concept that formed part of the reason he left one of the most popular Western shows of all time, Yellowstone.

Now, Horizon is almost here, and Costner has revealed what he views to be his favorite Western of all time: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

“I think Liberty Valance,” Costner said at a Horizon press conference on June 24. “It’s based on writing, so Liberty Valance I love quite a bit. And I think How the West Was Won really fired my imagination.”

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a 1962 John Wayne and James Stewart collaboration. Directed by John Ford, the film was a return to classic form. It follows the memory of a U.S. Senator named Ransom Stoddard, who reveals the truth to the press about the shooting of an outlaw named Liberty Valance.

After filming The Searchers, Ford returned to black-and-white sound stage production with Liberty Valance, and explored the Western story through narrative flashbacks.

Costner also spoke about how watching movies in his youth inspired him, and how he views the cinematic experience as an integral part of life.

“I was seven years old. That really is the essence of movies, isn’t it?” he added. “That we, for some reason, go and watch these things in the dark. We’ve all done it. We were taken there as children. It’s the one place that our parents allow us to go by ourselves.

“Because for some reason, the theater was considered safe. It’s where we learned to maybe kiss. That’s how you do it.

“We know the difference between honorable, and we see great heroism. We see a level of cowardice, we see a level of love and compassion. For as phony as movies are, there’s really a lot to learn from them. We learn who we want to be and who we don’t want to be.”

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 will arrive in theaters on June 28. For more, check out our guide on how to watch every Kevin Costner Western. You can also keep tabs on Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2, and take a look at how Horizon Chapter 1 review.