Kevin Costner in talks to play Bill Clinton in new UN-linked TV drama, United
Fans of Kevin Costner (movies and tv series) have been on a wild ride lately. Yellowstone exit. A massive Western passion project. A sequel pulled off the calendar. And now-maybe-a return to television with a real-life president at the center of the story.
Sources say Costner is in talks to play Bill Clinton (movies and tv series) in United, a new series reportedly developed with the United Nations. Leonardo DiCaprio (movies and tv series) is said to be on board as an executive producer alongside Costner, with David Raymond (movies and tv series) writing and directing.
The first chapter would focus on East Timor in 1999, when a UN-backed referendum led to independence from Indonesia-and a violent backlash that triggered an international response. Clinton, then in the White House, was one of the global figures involved in the effort to stabilize the situation.
Why this lands now
Costner's been straddling two lanes: prestige TV star-turned-franchise anchor, and filmmaker chasing a decades-in-the-making Western epic. Horizon: An American Saga finally hit theaters, but the already-finished second film was pulled from release plans. Maybe it's timing, but the swing back to TV-especially with a meaty, real-life role-feels intentional.
And let's be honest: playing a living former president is high-wire stuff. It attracts attention. It also invites scrutiny from historians, political reporters, and viewers who lived through the headlines the show will revisit.
What we know
- Costner is in talks to star as Bill Clinton.
- United is reportedly being made in collaboration with the UN.
- David Raymond is set to write and direct; DiCaprio and Costner are expected to executive produce.
- The story centers on the UN's 1999 mission in East Timor and is planned as an ongoing series about real UN operations and staff.
What we don't know (yet)
- Where the series will land-streamer, premium cable, or broadcast.
- Final casting beyond Costner, or whether the show will take an anthology approach season by season.
- Production timeline, especially with Costner's Horizon commitments in the mix.
About East Timor, briefly
In 1999, East Timor held a UN-backed vote on independence after years of conflict. Violence surged after the results, and international forces deployed to restore order before full independence followed. If you want a quick refresher on that history, the BBC has a solid overview of the period and aftermath.
Read more on East Timor's background
Here's what this could mean
For TV reporters and programmers, this is one to watch. Costner brings audience trust and awards-season weight; pairing him with DiCaprio's producing muscle and a global institution like the UN could make United a conversation driver.
But it'll also test how audiences feel about dramatizations of recent history. Get the details right, and you've got gripping television. Miss the nuance, and it'll show-fast.
Look, it's early. Talks can stall, schedules shift, and the ground moves under projects like this all the time. But if United comes together as described, Costner's next act on the small screen could be his most scrutinized-and maybe his most compelling-since Yellowstone.
We'll update when there's a platform, production window, and more cast on the board. Until then, file this under "promising-but keep your pencil handy."
