Kevin Costner Speaks Out About Horizon’s Future Following Chapter 1’s $36M Box Office Performance

Kevin Costner recently shared his thoughts on the future of “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3” amidst the challenges facing the project. The film is part of a planned four-part Western epic directed and co-written by Costner. Despite having completed the first two chapters, the first installment struggled at the box office, earning $36.1 million worldwide against a $50 million budget. As a result, the release of “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2” has been postponed indefinitely.

At the Venice International Film Festival, Costner gave an emotional address regarding the series’ future. He hinted that Chapter 2 will be even more challenging, with Chapter 3 expected to be “devastating.” Despite the setbacks, Costner expressed his determination to move forward with Chapter 3, although he admitted uncertainty about how it will be completed. He shared:

“If there’s anything that you expect from part 2, you realize that 2 is harder than 1. It’s hard to go West. 3 is the same thing. It gets harder. But I will tell you this. Chapter 3 is devastating because… You begin to know all these people. Life keeps coming at them and you will see that… They’re all written. I have to hurry… Now that the rock [fell] back downhill, I have to go put my hands on it again and start to push it up. It’s a rope that I can’t let go [of.] I don’t know how I’m gonna make 3 right now, but I’m gonna make it.”

Costner’s comments provide some clarity on the project’s status following the underwhelming performance of Chapter 1. Principal photography for Chapter 3 began in June, but production was reportedly halted due to financing issues by mid-August. Despite these challenges, Costner has indicated plans to resume filming by Spring 2025. His Venice remarks suggest he is committed to reuniting the cast and continuing with the project, even if it means self-funding additional expenses.

While Costner’s commitment to completing Chapter 3 is evident, his emotional tone and concerns about the project’s feasibility hint that the full four-part saga may not be realized as originally planned. However, with scripts already written, there might be an opportunity to consolidate the remaining narrative into a single, impactful conclusion, ensuring that the characters’ stories are resolved in a satisfying manner.