Kevin Costner has starred in a handful of baseball movies throughout his career, but his first is often overlooked. In more recent years, Costner has become a familiar face in the Western genre, appearing as John Dutton in Yellowstone and as Hayes Ellison in the Horizon film series. Before this, Costner appeared in several sports movies.

Costner’s rise to fame launched after starring in such sports movies, most notably the late 1980s movies Bull Durham and Field of Dreams. Among critics and audiences, these movies are considered the best of Costner’s baseball films, although neither is the actor’s first. Costner’s first baseball movie came years earlier at the start of his career, though it’s easily forgotten.

Chasing Dreams Was Kevin Costner’s First Baseball Movie

Costner Has A Brief Appearance At The Start Of The Film

Following his film debut in 1981, Costner took on a minor role in what would be his first of many baseball-themed movies, Chasing Dreams. The sports film follows Gavin (David G. Brown), a teenage boy living on a farm with a newfound interest in baseball. Costner’s part in the film is small, but important in setting up Gavin’s coming-of-age story.

In Chasing Dreams, Costner portrays Gavin’s older brother, Ed. Before heading off to school at the beginning of the film, Ed shares some significant words of wisdom with his younger brother, providing audiences with the slightest insight into their close bond. Unlike Costner’s other baseball movies, he’s never seen on the field in Chasing Dreams.

Chasing Dreams is set up as a standard, inspirational sports drama that shows Gavin following his pᴀssions in spite of his upbringing on the farm. However, the performances are generally weak, and the film’s plot is quite predictable. As a result, Chasing Dreams quickly fell out of popularity among audiences, with the film’s most notable aspect being Costner’s minor role.

Kevin Costner’s Role In Chasing Dreams Was Very Small

The Film’s Promotional Material Suggests Otherwise

Chasing Dreams is not a Costner film the way the movie’s promotional material would lead audiences to believe. Costner’s name and his face take up the majority of Chasing Dreams‘ poster, suggesting the actor has a bigger part in the film than he does. The interaction between Ed and Gavin at the start of the film also suggests the same.

It appears Costner’s Ed will play a bigger role in his younger brother’s life, with his departure leaving open the possibility of his character returning from school at some point later on, though this never happens.

Because of its shortcomings and Costner’s minor role, it’s easy to see how Chasing Dreams has become forgotten over the years. Still, Chasing Dreams is a crucial first for Costner, as he would go on to find success as a frequent presence in the sports film genre.