“Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ Finds Its Redemption on the Home Front”

Vindication has arrived for critics who felt Kevin Costner’s epic “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1” (Warner Bros.) resembled a TV drama rather than a blockbuster. Despite struggling in theaters with a $28.5 million haul in the U.S. and Canada after its fourth weekend, the film quickly soared to the top of VOD charts, becoming an immediate #1 on top 10 lists.

The first installment of a planned four-part series, with the second already completed but now delayed from its August release, saw lackluster theatrical performance. However, its swift transition to home viewing—just 18 days after its release—appears to be a savvy move. This suggests there is an audience for the 181-minute epic, albeit one more inclined to watch it at home rather than in theaters. The film’s strong performance could help recover its financial footing, potentially offsetting the combined $100 million production cost of the two films (excluding marketing) and generate renewed interest for “Chapter 2,” wherever and whenever it may be released.