9 of Kevin Costner’s Best Films Spanning Decades

Kevin Costner is no stranger to Hollywood, although he has been introduced to a younger audience hooked on Yellowstone since the series premiere in June 2018. With John Dutton closing out his chapter on the Paramount Network show in the first part of Season 5, Costner’s other projects have spiked interest, and the list seems endless. 

The actor has starred in an abundance of movies since his debut role in the 1981 independent film Sizzle Beach, U.S.A., also known as Malibu Hot Summer, where he plays a rich boy who introduces three young ladies to the Los Angeles nightlife. While the movie didn’t get rave reviews, it was Costner’s first film gig, leading to his 1985 breakout role in Western Silverado. 

Now, a two-time Academy Award and three-time Golden Globe winner with an estimated net worth of $400 million, Costner is one of the top dogs in Hollywood and has continued to lead some of the most buzzed-about films. Below are some of the star’s best movies still receiving high praise decades after their premieres.

Dances with Wolves (1990)

One of Costner’s biggest films is the 1990 western Dances with Wolves. In it, Costner plays a lieutenant stationed at a remote Civil War outpost who forms a relationship with a group of Lanoka Indians, eventually trading his lifestyle for theirs. The film also stars Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant, and Tantoo Cardinal. 

Dances with Wolves marked Costner’s directorial debut, in which he received an Oscar for “Best Director” for the three-hour film. In September 2024, Costner explained why his films are longer than the average movie during a sit down with the History Channel’s History Talks.

“It doesn’t matter when you make a movie; it’s going to live forever, so it matters what details you put in it because if you put the right details in it, it’s going to be relevant, and that’s the one thing I hope in my life,” the California native told the crowd.

“It’s not hard to be popular; it’s very difficult to be relevant. I want my life to be relevant, and I believe that you would do too.”

The Untouchables (1987) 

Three years before Dancing with Wolves graced the big screens, Costner received recognition for his role in The Untouchables. He starred in the 1987 crime thriller opposite Sean Connery, Andy Garcia, and Robert De Niro. The film was a massive hit at the box office, earning $106.2 million worldwide, and was nominated for four Academy Awards.

It took place during the Prohibition era when Treasury agent Elliot Ness (Costner) assembled a team to help him take down Chicago gangster Al Capone (De Niro). Despite Costner and De Niro delivering standout performances, the former admitted in June 2017 that working with The Godfather star wasn’t easy.

“I had trouble with some of the scenes with [De Niro], because my character was very straight-arrow and Robert was able to jump off the page,” Costner told EW about his and De Niro’s dynamic on set, before revealing their costar Connery helped him through it.

“I was trying to survive my straight-arrow language against someone who was throwing a level of street language at me that had a level of improv to it. So it was hard for me to survive in some of those scenes, and Sean [Connery] talked to me a little bit about it,” Costner added.

Field of Dreams (1989)

Costner’s career really blossomed in the 1980s, and he eventually became known for his incredible acting in sports dramas, particularly after his role in the 1989 film Field of Dreams. Costner portrayed Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer who built a baseball diamond on his property after being inspired by voices he heard in the cornfields. Additionally, the film stars Ray Liotta, James Earl Jones, Dwier Brown, Amy Madigan, and Gaby Hoffmann. 

The role of Ray, however, almost didn’t go to Costner, who previously revealed he battled with Robin Williams for the part. “There was an interesting thing because Robin Williams, bless his heart, there was a moment when I asked the director, I said, ‘You know, Robin Williams is a big star, as big as you ever wanna get,’“ Costner recalled to GQ magazine about a conversation he had early in filming. 

“So when he picked me to do it, kind of over Robin Williams, because it seems like a natural for Robin Williams, and he said, ‘I’m pretty sure that Robin Williams hears voices in the corn. I’m kind of sure that you don’t. They’re gonna end up believing you, Kevin, because they’re gonna see how it works,’“ Costner remembered. 

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

Another film Costner almost didn’t star in is Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, a 1991 adventure movie based on the English folk tale Robin Hood. In June of that year, Costner revealed to Entertainment Weekly that he initially turned down the film because he wasn’t pleased with the script, however, he had a change of heart when director Kevin Reynolds signed on.

“I felt Kevin was such a good filmmaker I would do it,” Costner said of his decision. “I’d never dreamed of doing a movie like this, but I thought this was a different Robin Hood. It told the story in a new way, without repeating it or making a joke of it.” 

The film also stars Alan Rickman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, and Morgan Freeman. 

Thirteen Days (2000)  

Costner stunned audiences again with his portrayal of Kenneth O’Donnell in the historical political thriller Thirteen Days, which premiered in December 2000. The film documents the chaos of the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s and also stars Bruce Greenwood and Steven Culp. 

The Highwaymen star discussed his involvement in the film in an interview with WFAA shortly after its release, revealing what drove him to make the movie. “We made it at the expense of conventional wisdom,” Costner began. “You can’t make movies like that now because they’re not gonna be number one at the box office, but we made it anyway. Knowing all those things.” 

The film was well-received, garnering an 83 percent Rotten Tomatoes score and numerous accolades, including a Critics Choice Award nomination for “Best Picture” in 2001.

The Bodyguard (1992) 

The Bodyguard was widely hyped, not just for Costner’s jaw-dropping performance but also for his famous co-star Whitney Houston. The actor teamed up with the singer to play love interests in the 1992 film, in which Costner portrays Houston’s character’s bodyguard, whose goal is to protect her from an obsessed stalker. 

In June 2024, Costner reflected on his time working with Houston during an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast. “I started to guide her. And I wasn’t trying to usurp my director, but I had made a promise to her,” Costner told host Dax Shepard. “I had promised Whitney that she’d be good in (the film). I was always going to keep my promise to her.”

The film did exceptionally well at the global box office, grossing $121.9 million, and received two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song for “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You.”

Bull Durham (1988) 

Another beloved Costner film is Bull Durham, a sports/romance movie that premiered in 1988. Critics called Costner’s role the “funniest and most charismatic,” as he played Crash Davis, a veteran minor league catcher who set out to help rookie pitcher Nuke LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) improve his game. Unfortunately, they’re distracted by gorgeous fan Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon).

In September 2024, Costner and Sarandon reunited while attending the 81st annual Venice Film Festival, and the Waterworld star documented the occasion. “There’s nothing like catching up with an old friend,” Costner wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the smiling pair. 

“Great to see you [Susan Sarandon] we’ve come a long way since our ‘Bull Durham’ days,” he sweetly added. 

Open Range (2003)

Before Costner was a Montana rancher in Yellowstone, he played a cowhand in the 2003 western Open Range. The actor again pulled double-duty as director on the film, which also stars Robert Duvall, Abraham Benrubi, and Annette Bening. 

Years later, it was reported that Costner turned down an opportunity to play Bill (portrayed by David Carradine) in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies so he could direct and star in Open Range. It was said that taking on the role would’ve been too much for Costner to juggle on top of doing Open Range, though he and Tarantino eventually reunited for Django Unchained in 2012. 

A Perfect World (1993) 

Costner has appeared to play every type of character, from a farmer to a prince, and in the 1993 film A Perfect World, an escaped prisoner. In the movie, Costner portrays Robert “Butch” Haynes, a convict who busted out of Huntsville prison and kidnaps a young boy (T.J. Lowther) who he has an endearing bond with while being chased by a Texas Ranger (Clint Eastwood). 

The film became a critically acclaimed hit, although it was later revealed that Costner and Eastwood didn’t see eye-to-eye behind the scenes. In July 1993, the L.A. Times reported that the pair would often get into heated arguments, resulting in Costner storming off set. 

The main reason for their clash is the difference in Costner and Eastwood’s acting styles, which made it difficult to come to common ground. However, they managed to put their creative differences aside and deliver showstopping performances.