Kevin Costner‘s “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2″ has been pulled from its planned theatrical release on August 16 after the first chapter floundered at the box office earlier this summer.
An individual with knowledge of the decision told IndieWire distributor New Line Pictures and Costner’s own Territory Pictures mutually agreed to delay the film’s release in order to give the first part more time to build an audience, including for “Horizon – Chapter 1” to be released on PVOD beginning July 16. A date for the first film to be released on Max has not been set either.
As of now, “Horizon – Chapter 2” remains slated for a theatrical release, but no release date has been set.
“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,” a New Line spokesperson said.
“The audience response to Horizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in ‘Horizon 2,’ has been incredibly gratifying,” Territory Pictures said in a statement. “Kevin made this film for people who love movies and who wanted to go on a journey. 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.’”
Costner’s “Horizon” films have carried a heavy price tag of $100 million, much of it Costner’s own money. But the first film mustered up only $23 million at the box office since opening in late June. The release plan for both features was always ambitious, with “Chapter 2” set to be released little over a month after the release of the first film on August 16.
Despite a launch at the Cannes Film Festival, critical reaction to “Horizon” has been underwhelming, with critics calling it a vanity project and comparing it to something not unlike an episodic season of “Yellowstone.”
Costner also wants to make at least two more chapters of “Horizon,” and he intended to shoot Chapter 3 in August. However, New Line had only agreed to distribute the first two films for a fee, and Costner himself has been handling marketing costs.
Had “Horizon – Chapter 2” stuck to its date, it would’ve opened against 20th Century’s “Alien: Romulus.” It’s unclear when a new date will be set or if that will even be this year.
Costner has been heavily promoting his passion project, which marked his return to directing for the first time since 2003. But it was all clouded by his ongoing friction with “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, whom Costner alluded to IndieWire may have “borrowed” some material from “Horizon.”
THR first reported the news.
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