Summary
Kevin Costner’s upcoming Western epicHorizon: An American Sagaalready has a major problem to contend with, and the movie hasn’t even been released yet.Horizonhas been a controversial project for Costner since it was first announced.Costner left his role inYellowstoneabout the same time he began working onHorizon, and the exact circumstances of his departure and how it related to his new Western project remain unclear. That was the first problemHorizonran into, but it was hardly the last, and the newest issue it’s facing could prove to be its biggest.
Horizonhas been planned as a four-part Western epic, and the first two movies have already completed production. The first is set to release on June 28, withHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2set to release in August. Those release dates are confirmed, but the rest of the franchise isn’t as certain. A new development ahead ofHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1’s release could pose a huge problem to the rest of the saga.
What “Horizon” Actually Is In Kevin Costner’s Movie
The first trailer for Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga is out now, and here is what the word “Horizon” actually means in the movie.
Horizon’s Box Office Projections Create A Problem For The Planned Third Movie
It already seems Costner’s new franchise could struggle early on. Anearly report ofHorizon’s box office potentialhas already suggested that the first movie could struggle to earn a profit.That report claimed that awareness and interest inHorizonhave decreased since the film was first announced, and that the $17 million opening weekend it was once projected to secure is now at just $12 million. The first two parts have a budget of $100 million, andCostner has spent $38 million of his own money onHorizonalready, so such a low opening weekend prediction is a serious concern.
That problem is only made bigger by the fact that Costner has already planned out four films for the franchise. If the first chapter of the saga is struggling this much, it paints a very grim picture for the next three movies.Horizon Chapter 2has already finished production and has a set release date, but Chapter 3 is in a much less secure situation.
Horizon 3 Has Started Filming, But May Not Happen
Horizon Chapter 3has already begun filming, but it still might not be finished. Costner toldDeadlinein May that he planned to begin filming even before he had secured funding for the full project, and it’s very possible the movie still doesn’t have full funding. That puts Chapter 3 in a very precarious position, one that could be entirely dependent upon the success, or failure, of the first two installments.If they fail to turn a profit at the box office, it’s doubtful Costner would be able to find the rest of the funding needed, andHorizonChapter 3could be doomed.
Horizon: An American Saga - Release Date, Story & Everything We Know About Kevin Costner’s Western Epic
The first installment in Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga kicks off the actor-director’s ambitious passion project.
Horizon 3 Not Happening Risks Hurting The First Two Movies
IfHorizondoes fail to perform at the box office, it wouldn’t just hurtHorizon 3, it would also take a toll on the first two installments of the saga.Horizonhas always been planned as a four-part saga.That means that many of the concepts, characters, and plot points introduced inHorizonchapters 1 and 2 won’t be resolved in the movies themselves, and those conclusions would instead be saved for chapters 3 and 4. If the second half of the saga gets canceled, the viewers who did enjoy the first half will be left with no conclusion to the story.
Additionally, becauseHorizon Chapter 3and Chapter 4 might not happen, that also means many viewers will go in knowing that there’s a real chance they’re about to watch a movie with no ending. Even if they don’t fail to perform at the box office, just the threat of not seeing the end of the saga could be enough to drive viewers away.There’s a real risk ofHorizon’s potential failure becoming a vicious cycle that harms every chapter in the series.
The challengesHorizonis already facing are a real shame, especially considering some recent developments. Costner’s mission withHorizonhas frequently been compared to Francis Ford Coppola’s vision forMegalopolis, his self-funded passion project.Megalopolis' reviews are already divided, and in combination withHorizon’s worries, it marks two notable products of a single person’s creative vision that are at risk. If they were both to fail, it could be a major blow to truly original and passionate movies in the future. Kevin Costner is taking a massive risk withHorizon: An American Saga, and hopefully his gamble pays off.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Cast
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is set in 1859, following families as they settle in territories from Wyoming to Kansas. The narrative centers around a cowboy on the run with a prostitute and a young boy after a deadly confrontation, exploring the challenges of life in the Old West.
