An Academy Award-winning actor, director and producer, Kevin Costner is best known for his iconic roles in movies such as ‘Dances with Wolves’, ‘The Bodyguard’ and the popular TV show ‘Yellowstone’. The all-round entertainer has made a legendary career of decades and gained respect in both the film and television industry. His ambitious passions have often been centred on his love for storytelling and cinema. His epic western, which was also a flop in the theaters, just got its release in streaming.‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ is now available to stream on Prime Video following its release on the platform earlier this month on May 23. The film, which was originally billed as a 4-film saga and a passion project for Costner, stars the actor as a lone cowboy named Hayes Ellison, set in 1859 in territories from Wyoming to Kansas. The Western chronicles the expansion of the American West before and after the Civil War over a 15-year period.
Kevin Costner’s exit from ‘Yellowstone’ for ‘Horizon’
Costner’s journey with this ambitious project begins when he decides to leave the wildly successful ‘Yellowstone’ midway through Season 5. Amid a disagreement regarding scheduling conflicts with his sprawling cinematic western, Costner departs the series in June 2024. Later that same month, ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ premieres in theaters.Box office disappointment for ‘Horizon: An American Saga’Unfortunately, the film opens to tepid reviews and disappointing box-office returns, casting doubt on the future of the larger project. The original theatrical run earns $29 million domestically and $9.8 million internationally for a worldwide box office total of $38.8 million. Set against a production budget of $100 million prior to marketing costs, the realities prove damning for the ambitious Western.
What comes next for the ‘Horizon’ saga
Originally, ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2’ is meant to arrive in theaters in August 2024. However, due to the first film’s underwhelming performance, the decision is made to pull ‘Chapter 2’ from its intended theatrical release. Besides the second entry being screened at the Venice Film Festival in 2024, ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2’ has not been released to the public.In the aftermath of its performance at Venice, Costner admits that the film “didn’t have overwhelming success.” The entire saga encounters new challenges, but Costner remains adamant that the second entry, as well as Chapters 3 and 4, will see the light of day. Speaking at the Savannah Film Festival, Costner states he is looking for “the right distribution partner” to bring the remaining chapters to audiences.The streaming release now gives audiences the opportunity to experience Costner’s passion project, while the actor continues his search for the right distribution partner to complete his ambitious four-chapter vision.
