One major character change toHorizon: An American Sagacould have prevented various problems co-writer/director Kevin Costner is now facing with future films in the series.Horizon: An American Sagawas released in June 2024, and was meant to be the first entry in a four-movie series. However,reviews forHorizon Chapter 1were not strong, and the film has a disappointing score of 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. Additionally, it did not perform well at the box office, only earning $38 million on a massive budget of $100 million. Therefore, the future of Costner’s Western epic is now uncertain.
The story ofHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1follows several characters as they travel to and settle in the American West during the Civil War. In addition to Costner, thecast ofHorizon: An American Sagaincludes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, Michael Rooker, and many more.Horizon: An American Sagaboasts an impressive cast who fit right into the Western story, but this could actually be the main problem for theHorizonseries' future.
Horizon Would Be A Much Shorter Story If It Just Focused On Kevin Costner’s Character
InHorizon Chapter 1,Costner plays Hayes Ellison, a loner cowboy who goes on the run with a prostitute, Marigold (Abbey Lee), and her son after killing another man. Just based on this brief description of Hayes' arc, it’s clear that this could be its own standalone movie. Arguably, Costner’sHorizonproject never should have featured an ensemble cast and focused on telling a more personal story between these three central characters.
10 Horizon: Chapter 1 Scenes That Prove Kevin Costner’s Western Sequels Need To Happen
The sequels to Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga might not happen, but these 10 scenes prove the franchise needs to be finished.
However, this never seemed to be an option for Costner, as he clearly wanted hisHorizonmovies to be very grand. The firstHorizonfilm also features various other characters, which means a much bigger cast, and, of course, a much bigger budget.The final cut ofHorizon Chapter 1ended up being just over three hours long, and tells the story of several characters as they try to survive and thrive in the American West.
Kevin Costner’s Four-Movie Horizon Plan Looks Very Unlikely To Be Completed
The Already-Filmed Second Horizon Movie Still Doesn’t Have A Release Date
Even though theHorizonseries is an epic Western that Costner has been trying to make for decades, audiences weren’t too eager to experience this story. Originally, the secondHorizonmovie, which Costner has already filmed, was supposed to be released in August 2024, just two months after the first film. However,following the failure ofHorizon Chapter 1, New Line Cinema decided to removeHorizon Chapter 2from its release schedule, and has still not announced a new release date.
Costner has already invested millions of his own money into theHorizon: An American Sagaseries, but since the first movie didn’t make a profit, it seems unlikely that he will be able to shoot the third and fourth installments.
Heading into 2025 with no release date forHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2has made moviegoers unsure about the future of the franchise. Costner has already invested millions of his own money into theHorizon: An American Sagaseries (viaForbes), but since the first movie didn’t make a profit, it seems unlikely that he will be able to shoot the third and fourth installments.It would be a shame if Costner could not complete his dream project, but perhaps he should’ve focused on a smaller-scale, personal story, rather than an expensive epic featuring a massive cast of characters.
Source:Forbes
Horizon: An American Saga
“Horizon: An American Saga” is a series of epic Western films directed, produced, and co-written by Kevin Costner. The saga spans pre- and post-Civil War America, detailing the exploration and settlement of the American West over 15 years, and follows multiple storylines of fictional characters as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of this tumultuous period.
