Kevin Costner’s first 2 Horizon movies are set to release this summer in an unusual back-to-back theatrical rollout that runs the risk of backfiring.
Kevin Costner’s new Western movie Horizon: An American Saga runs the risk of repeating a massive box office flop from nearly two decades ago. After his dramatic exit from Yellowstone with only six episodes yet to air in its final season, Costner reallocated his time and resources to his anticipated Horizon franchise, which is set to release in two parts over the summer of 2024. Horizon: An American Saga will mark Costner’s first directorial effort since 2003’s Western epic Open Range.
As a director, Costner has found praise and acclaim that few can call their own. His directorial debut, Dances with Wolves (1990), won an astounding 7 Academy Awards from 12 nominations including Best Picture and Best Director. It’s surprising that Costner has only directed two other films in the 34 years since Dances with Wolves. Even with his impressive accolades, CostnerR 17;s Horizon franchise presents a major risk considering that he left behind his celebrated Yellowstone franchise for it. Horizon will be released on June 28, 2024, while Horizon: Chapter 2 is expected to come out on August 16, 2024.
Horizon: An American Saga’s Massive Budgets & Problems Are Similar To Waterworld
The Horizon franchise has faced some financial concerns considering that Costner is trying to raise money for the third and fourth installments before Horizon 1 & 2 even come out. Both of the Horizon movies reportedly have budgets at or above $100 million and there are already problems in place with financing future films. Costner’s unconventional release strategy for his Horizon rollout has some benefits, such as saving on marketing costs, but still requires a substantial investment upfront.
These financial concerns for Costner’s latest film venture are reminiscent of the issues Costner’s movie Waterworld once had. The 1995 adventure epic had a budget balloon to the point that it could not succeed, amassing to roughly $175 million only to generate $235 million worldwide. With all the marketing costs factored in, Waterworld was not much of a box office hit considering all the costs that went into making it. Horizon could follow a similar path if its box office numbers do not perform as expected.
Kevin Costner’s Horizon Release Plan Makes The Franchise A Bigger Risk
Horizon’s unorthodox release plan makes more sense for television and streaming but is rarely ever done in wide theatrical movie releases. With two feature films already done that come out just a few months apart, the question remains whether there will really be a large enough audience for them both. If the first Horizon movie fails to impress at the box office, it’s hard to believe that Horizon 2 would do much better. Costner’s risky approach with his Horizon franchise could pay off in unprecedented ways but could also trip on its own feet.