Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon 2’ Postponed After First Film Underperforms at Box Office

Kevin Costner attends the US Premiere of "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1" in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 24, 2024. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The release of the second installment of Kevin Costner’s four-part Western movie series, “Horizon: An American Saga,” originally slated to hit theaters on Aug. 16, has been postponed.

A representative for distribution partner New Line Cinema, a division of the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, confirmed the news in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, noting that the decision was made in conjunction with Mr. Costner’s production company, Territory Pictures.

“Territory Pictures and New Line Cinema have decided not to release ‘Horizon: Chapter 2’ on August 16 in order to give audiences a greater opportunity to discover the first installment of Horizon over the coming weeks, including on PVOD and MAX,” the statement reads. “We thank our exhibition partners for their continued support as moviegoers across the US discover the film in its theatrical run.”

The postponement of “Horizon: Chapter 2” comes after the first installment underperformed in its box office debut. The film, which debuted in 3,334 theaters on June 28, made a little over $11 million on its opening weekend, per Box Office Mojo. The movie has grossed $25.2 million worldwide to date, only a fraction of its $100 million budget.

“The audience response to Horizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in Horizon 2, has been incredibly gratifying,” Territory Pictures shared in a separate statement.

“Kevin made this film for people who love movies and who wanted to go on a journey. The support that we have received from film fans, and the theater owners, as they experience the first chapter of this saga only serves to reinforce our belief in them and the films that we have made, and we thank them for coming on board for the ride,” the company added. “We welcome the opportunity for that window to be expanded as we know it will only serve to enhance the experience of seeing Horizon 2.”

The Epoch Times reached out to Mr. Costner’s representative and New Line Cinema for additional comment but a response was not received by press time.

‘Horizon: An American Saga’

In addition to starring in “Horizon: An American Saga,” Mr. Costner, 69, directed and produced it. The epic’s ensemble cast also includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, and Luke Wilson.

Split into four parts, the series chronicles the pre- and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West. The film’s first chapter, which has a running time of three hours, held its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19 and elicited a seven-minute standing ovation from the audience.

“I’m sorry you had to clap that long for me to understand that I should speak,” Mr. Costner joked after the screening, visibly overcome with emotion. “Such good people. Such a good moment, not just for me, but for the actors that came with me, for people who believed in me who continued to work. It’s a funny business, and I’m so glad I found it. There’s no place like here. I’ll never forget this.”

The saga was a passion project for Mr. Costner, who has been a fixture in the Western genre, appearing in an array of movies centered on the Great West, including “Dances with Wolves” (1990), “Wyatt Earp” (1994), “Open Range” (2003), and the hit television series “Yellowstone.”

The Academy Award-winning actor also played a cowboy in his first major film, landing his breakout movie role in the 1985 Western drama “Silverado,” from director Lawrence Kasdan, co-writer of many Hollywood blockbusters, including several “Star Wars” films and “The Bodyguard,” which also starred Mr. Costner opposite the late Whitney Houston.

“39 years ago today we released Silverado into the world,” Mr. Coster wrote on Instagram on July 10. “It was a dream come true for me to be in a Western movie, and to have Lawrence Kasdan at the helm was the cherry on top. I hope that @horizonamericansaga is stirring hearts the way that this movie has stirred mine for nearly four decades.”

Speaking to People in 2022, Mr. Costner, who invested $38 million of his own money to help fund the “Horizon” project, admitted that bringing the film series to life was the hardest thing he’s ever done.

“I wrapped this first one, and it took everything I had,” he said. “But I’m holding on to the rope and not letting go. In my career, I’ve tried to choose not based on what was popular. I made the films I wanted to make.”

In May, Mr. Costner took to Instagram to share that the “Horizon” team was “back on the ground” working on the next installment of the Western series, presumably the third chapter.

Territory Pictures and New Line Cinema have yet to announce the new release date for “Horizon: Chapter 2” and the epic’s forthcoming installments.