Kevin Costner’s ambitious Horizon: An American Saga was intended to utilize a unique release schedule; Costner shot multiple parts of the movie back-to-back, and planned the releases of the first two “chapters” (through Warner Bros.’ New Line Cinema) just a few months apart. The first chapter, which is three hours long all on its own, debuted on June 28, with Chapter 2 intended to arrive in mid-August.
Not anymore.
By any measure the first Horizon has underperformed at the box office; grossing just $25 million in theaters worldwide to date against a budget that is reportedly at least double that (and perhaps quadruple that according to some online sources). Now, per The Hollywood Reporter, Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2 has been pulled from its planned August release. New Line and Costner’s Territory Pictures gave THR this statement:
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. We thank our exhibition partners for their continued support as moviegoers across the US discover the film in its theatrical run.
This change of plan comes after some theaters had already put tickets on sale for Horizon Chapter 2’s theatrical release. (Looking on Fandango right now I can still see tickets for multiple showings at multiple theaters still being offered, although presumably that will change in the very near future.)
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Although the statement mentions the film will be streaming on Max, a premiere date has yet to be announced.
To be sure, Horizon Chapter 2 itself has not been canceled; it’s already been shot. (Costner recently started shooting Horizon Chapter 3, in fact.) Territory Pictures said in a separate statement that they “welcome the opportunity for that [theatrical] window to be expanded as we know it will only serve to enhance the experience of seeing Horizon 2.”
Horizon Chapter 2 will be released eventually. But one does begin to wonder whether Costner will be able to finish his massive (and extremely expensive) plan for this story, which he had hoped to continue through four full chapters. Only time will tell.
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