Kevin Costner’s ambitious Western epic, Horizon: An American Saga, saw a less-than-stellar opening, drawing in just $4.1 million. Despite Costner’s substantial personal investment—he poured $38 million of his own money into it
—the film struggled at the box office.
An Overambitious Venture?
Horizon spans the Civil War era, from 1861 to 1865, exploring the rugged tales of the Old West. Costner, also part of the cast that includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, and Luke Wilson, described his hardships in getting the film made: I don’t go out into the world with something I don’t think is good.
The film aims to be a saga in four parts, with Chapter 2 set for an August release. However, with Chapter 1 opening to just $11 million and facing critical disdain, the future installments seem shaky.
Costly Commitment
The project has been marked by its financial risks due to Costner’s heavy involvement. At Cannes, the movie received mixed reviews despite a ten-minute standing ovation.The film received scathing reviews and a very low score on Rotten Tomatoes,
only achieving a 27% score on the Tomatometer.
On top of that, during its premiere on Sunday night, though it earned a seven-minute standing ovation, Costner grew visibly emotional—a sentiment that did little to translate into ticket sales later.
The Saga Continues
Keen on completing his vision, Costner is already eyeing resources for further installments. The immediate challenge is turning around audience perceptions in time for Chapter 2’s debut. “Horizon” is meant to be a four-part saga
, which suggests the narrative might find its rhythm later.
The idea that blew it off course may also save it—it needs to captivate audiences quickly. As history shows us, there is always room for redemption in Hollywood.
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