Kevin Costner Acknowledges $100M ‘Horizon’ Epic Didn’t Achieve Overwhelming Success
Kevin Costner has candidly admitted that his film Horizon did not achieve “overwhelming success.” The 69-year-old Yellowstone star invested a substantial portion of his personal fortune into creating the first installment of a planned series of epic westerns. He has since followed up with Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.
Speaking at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, where the sequel premiered after a revised release schedule, Costner revealed that the original film’s underwhelming performance influenced the delay. The first chapter, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May and was released in theaters in late June, received mixed reviews and earned only $11 million in its opening weekend against a $100 million budget.
Costner remarked, “It didn’t have overwhelming success.” However, he remains hopeful, noting, “I’ve had a lot of movies that way, that have stood the test of time.”
The studio originally intended to release the sequel six weeks after the first film but later opted to postpone it. Costner expressed that the delay actually aligned with his preferred schedule of releasing films five to six months apart. This change allowed him to attend the Venice Film Festival, a venue where the film would not have been shown had it already been released.
He praised Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera, who played a significant role in showcasing the film. Costner said, “(He) gave me my dream and didn’t allow it to be squashed. Venice keeps coming to my rescue.”
On Instagram, Costner expressed his gratitude, stating, “I’m indebted to Alberto Barbera for his courage and leadership in committing to this cinematic journey. It is with gratitude and excitement that I return to the Venice Film Festival. Long live the movies and those willing to stand for them.”
