A Kevin Costner Sequel Was Canceled For A Tragic Reason
Kevin Costner was set to make The Bodyguard 2 with Princess Diana and received the script the day before she died.
There are few movies more iconic in Kevin Costner’s storied career than The Bodyguard. Costner took on the role of a former Secret Service agent who is now tasked with a super famous R&B singer and actress, played by Whitney Houston. The movie became an instant hit, which led to a proposed sequel with Costner returning and Princess Diana taking the lead from Houston, though she died the day after Costner received the script for The Bodyguard 2.
Kevin Costner recounted the events leading to The Bodyguard 2, and how Princess Diana spoke to him on the phone about the role. According to an interview with Costner in 2012, “I just remember her being incredibly sweet on the phone, and she asked the question, ‘Are we going to have, like a kissing scene?'” Costner also revealed that Diana was nervous as her life was “very governed.”
The talks between Kevin Costner and Princess Diana were set up by Sarah, Duchess of York. Costner also revealed that he was impressed that Sarah was not trying to make things about her, as she was also a princess. He revealed that Sarah was quite thrilled with the entire ordeal and helped to facilitate the conversations between Costner and Diana. Sadly, those conversations ended abruptly when Diana was killed in a car accident on August 31, 1997.
Though The Bodyguard was heavily criticized because of performances by Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, it went on to secure $411 million at the box office, making it the second highest-grossing movie of 1992, right behind Aladdin. It was also the 10th highest-selling movie of all time, during those years. It became the acting debut of Houston, and the soundtrack for the movie is still the highest selling in history after it sold a staggering 45 million copies.
Kevin Costner revealed that The Bodyguard 2 would have brought back his character to protect Princess Diana from stalkers and paparazzi, which would have led to their relationship becoming romantic. It sounds like the plot of the first movie, though Costner and Houston’s characters never let their relationship blossom at all. We wonder if Princess Diana would have portrayed herself, or if she would have taken on the role of a fictional person like Houston did.
Either way, Kevin Costner’s career was already at superstar status in the early 1990s, and we imagine the sequel would have gone on to have the same success as the first movie. Even more so, Princess Diana starring in a movie would have likely led to a ton of money being made in the international markets. Sadly, we will never truly know what that movie would have looked like or how successful it could have been.
Chances are that Kevin Costner is never going to make a sequel to The Bodyguard, as Princess Diana died in the late 1990s, and Whitney Houston died in 2012. There might be too many painful memories surrounding the movie for Costner to want to return to the property. This is just speculation, but we believe the time has passed on the would-be possibilities of a sequel.
For now, everyone can see Kevin Costner in his super hit series, Yellowstone. The actor has gone on to star in one of the most successful shows in television history and has become one of the most beloved actors in cinema history.
