Kevin Costner Reflects on Horizon: An American Saga’s Box Office Performance

Kevin Costner Discusses Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’s Box Office Struggles and Horizon 2’s Theatrical Release

Kevin Costner is addressing the underwhelming box office performance of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, which was released this summer. Due to the first film’s disappointing results, the planned theatrical release of Horizon 2 has been canceled.

At a recent press conference during the Venice Film Festival, Costner, who stars in, co-wrote, and directed the film, acknowledged that the decision to scrap Horizon 2’s theatrical release was likely a response to the first film’s performance. “It didn’t have overwhelming success,” Costner commented. He added that the studio decided against a theatrical release for Horizon 2, which was initially set to premiere just six weeks after the first chapter. Despite this, Costner was pleased to see Horizon 2 included in the Venice Film Festival lineup. The film was originally slated for an August 16 theater debut.

The First Installment’s Performance Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, which debuted on June 28, earned $11 million on its opening weekend and a total of $32.7 million globally, falling short of its $50 million budget. With a production budget of about $100 million for Horizon 2, the film’s underperformance has raised concerns about the franchise’s future. The first film also received mixed reviews, holding a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the criticism, Costner expressed pride in Chapter 1 and his belief that the Horizon saga will continue to captivate audiences for years to come. “I’ve faced dismissive attitudes before,” he said.

The Horizon franchise’s future is now uncertain. Production on Chapter 3, which began in Utah in May before Chapter 1’s release, has been halted due to financial issues. At the same time, Chapter 4 is in development. Costner remains determined to complete the trilogy. “I don’t know how I’m going to make Chapter 3 right now,” he admitted, “but I’m going to make it.”

Horizon focuses on the expansion of the American West during the Civil War. Costner personally financed a significant portion of the films’ budgets. Horizon 2 features a cast including Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, and Luke Wilson.