Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ Sets Max Release Date After Bombing at Box Office

Kevin Costner’s epic western Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is set to land on Max on Friday, August 24, just a little over a month after it was released in theaters on June 28.

The film, which Costner starred in, co-directed, co-wrote, produced and co-financed, takes place before and after the American Civil War and details the exploration of the American West. The movie was supposed to be released in four parts, but after underwhelming box office numbers for the first installment, the future of the franchise is unclear.

According to Variety, Chapter 1 earned only $11 million at the box office on its opening weekend despite its approximately $100 million budget. Costner himself revealed he’d put $38 million of his own money into the film, which had long been his passion project.

Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 were filmed back-to-back, with the second part initially scheduled for theatrical release today, Friday, August 16. However, the film has now been pulled from its release date and will bow at the Venice Film Festival out-of-competition on September 7.

In a statement to Variety, a New Line Cinema spokesperson said the reason for pulling the second film was to “give audiences a greater opportunity to discover the first installment of Horizon over the coming weeks, including on PVOD and Max.”

In addition to Costner, the film stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Thomas Haden Church.

Production on the third movie in the series began in May, though it took a pause while Costner promoted the first installment. Filming is expected to resume this month. The script for the fourth and final film is said to be completed and with key members of the crew.

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The filming of Horizon played a major part in Costner’s decision to exit the hit Paramount series Yellowstone. The actor reportedly requested a shortened filming schedule for Season 5 Part 2 so that he could focus on his movie franchise. This is said to have led to conflicts between Costner and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan.

In Costner’s divorce hearing in September 2023, he revealed that Season 5 was not meant to be filmed and released in two parts at first. When that change was made, it messed with his previously set schedule for Horizon.

“They wanted to do 5A and 5B; [it] affected Horizon,” Costner said, per Deadline. “I was going to do my movie Horizon and leave that show, do my movie, then do B. [But] a show I was only doing once a year, I was now doing twice.”

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, Streaming, Friday, August 23, Max