What’s Really Happening With Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon: Part 2’?
What’s Going On With Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon: Part 2’?
After three hours of intricate world-building, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 closes on an ellipsis—a “To Be Continued” teaser that hints at what lies ahead in the next chapter of Kevin Costner’s ambitious four-part Western epic. However, following a lukewarm reception from critics and disappointing box office numbers, Warner Bros. has taken a cautious approach, leaving audiences uncertain about the fate of the saga.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 does exist—having been screened at the 2024 Venice Film Festival—but it remains without a public release date, either in theaters or on streaming platforms. Since stepping away from Yellowstone, Costner has championed this passion project, yet the tepid public response has led him to voice doubts about the series’ future. Nevertheless, setbacks and skepticism have never stopped Costner from chasing his creative visions.
No Release Date in Sight for Chapter 2
Chapter 1 debuted in June 2024, opening to a modest $11 million and is now available on Netflix, where it has found a new audience. In fact, Horizon arguably works better as a sprawling TV series experienced at home rather than a traditional theatrical film, which may explain its success atop Netflix’s viewing charts. Fans eager to see the saga continue are currently left waiting, as Warner Bros. pulled Chapter 2 from its planned August 16, 2024 theatrical release following the first film’s underperformance. The second chapter only received a limited premiere at Venice.
“It didn’t have overwhelming success,” Costner admitted when discussing Chapter 2’s financial results at Venice. Despite concerns about funding and distribution, he remains committed to seeing Chapters 3 and 4 come to life. “I don’t know how I’m going to make ‘Three’ right now,” he said, “but I’m going to make it.”
At the recent Savannah Film Festival, Costner revealed he’s searching for “the right distribution partner” and has already shot roughly eight days of Chapter 3. Comparing the saga to a classic American text like Treasure Island, he hopes Horizon will take its place among timeless stories. This statement suggests Warner Bros. might be reluctant to give the films a full theatrical rollout—a stance consistent with some of the studio’s recent decisions. After all, Costner, who partially financed Horizon, famously left his steady role on Yellowstone to bring the Western back to the big screen.
How the ‘Horizon’ Release Strategy Fell Apart
Warner Bros.’ current approach to film distribution has been puzzling, to say the least. Following controversial moves such as canceling Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme, the studio also severely limited the theatrical release of Clint Eastwood’s presumed final film, Juror #2, despite critical acclaim. If a well-crafted courtroom drama can receive such treatment, the theatrical future of Horizon – Chapter 2, a lengthy serialized Western, looks bleak.
Warner Bros. bears significant responsibility for the Horizon predicament. Releasing Chapters 1 and 2 just six weeks apart during summer 2024 was a risky strategy. Instead, Chapter 1 should have been allowed time to build viewership and anticipation gradually on VOD and HBO Max. After the first film’s underwhelming box office, the studio panicked and indefinitely shelved the second installment.
As long as Warner Bros. remains silent and Costner’s updates on future chapters remain vague, the fate of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 will continue to hang in the balance. For a project of such scale and significance, the secrecy surrounding its production and distribution is baffling—but deciphering the inner workings of the industry is often futile.
The only clear news about Costner’s near future is his involvement in Headhunters, a tropical surf-set thriller he plans to co-write and star in, directed by Steven Holleran. This project could either help finance the remaining Horizon chapters or pull him away from completing his Western saga.
A Risk-Taker to the End
Maybe understanding Kevin Costner’s motivations isn’t the point. Now an enigmatic figure in Hollywood, his decades-long career has been marked by bold risks and defying the doubters—most famously with his Oscar-winning directorial debut Dances With Wolves. While signs suggest the Horizon saga might ultimately be seen as a failed experiment, there’s still hope, in Costner’s hands, that the story isn’t over yet. After all, there’s always something on the horizon.
