Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ Sequel Delays Theatrical Release After ‘Chapter 1’ Bombs
After failing to find much of a foothold at the box office, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are pulling the second chapter of Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga” from its planned August release while releasing the film on premium video on-demand on July 16.
Sources at the studios say that they still plan to release the second part of Costner’s planned four-part series theatrically, though the new release date has yet to be determined.
“Territory Pictures and New Line Cinema have decided not to release ‘Horizon: Chapter 2’ on Aug. 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,” a New Line spokesperson said in a statement. “We thank our exhibition partners for their continued support as moviegoers across the U.S. discover the film in its theatrical run.”
“The audience response to ‘Horizon’ and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in ‘Horizon 2’ has been incredibly gratifying. Kevin made this film for people who love movies and who wanted to go on a journey,” read a statement from Costner’s production company, Territory Pictures. “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. 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.'”
Through two weekends in theaters, “Horizon: Chapter 1” has grossed only $22.6 million at the domestic box office, well short of the reported $100 million production budget. $38 million of that budget came directly from Costner, with the rest coming from anonymous investors and foreign sales.
Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, “Horizon” received mixed reviews, and audience reception scores were similar, including a B- grade from opening night crowds on CinemaScore.
While the film was a major moneymaker for certain cinemas in states where Costner heavily promoted the film, such as Utah and Texas — appealing primarily to fans of his hit TV series “Yellowstone” — it never found the word-of-mouth it needed against competition like “Inside Out 2” and “A Quiet Place: Day One.” It fell out of the Top 5 on Fourth of July weekend.
Costner currently plans to resume production on the third chapter of “Horizon” in August, though he is reportedly still seeking financing to shoot the fourth and final chapter.
The release slate change was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
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