‘An American Saga’ Delays ‘Chapter 2’ Theatrical Release – GoldDerby

Kevin Costner, the Oscar-winning director and Emmy Award-winning actor, took a significant gamble with his epic four-part Western, “Horizon: An American Saga.” Unfortunately, when “Chapter 1” premiered in theaters on June 28, the reception was lukewarm at best. Garnering middling reviews, the three-hour film has only managed to earn $25 million at the box office. This underwhelming performance has prompted New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Discovery to delay the release of “Chapter 2,” which was initially scheduled for August 16, indefinitely.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the current plan is to maintain a theatrical release for the second part but to pause and wait for a larger audience to form. This strategy may involve hoping that the film gains traction on PVOD next week and eventually on Max. The primary goal of the movie was to inspire adults to return to theaters, a dream of Costner’s. However, the lengthy 180-minute runtime and reports that “Chapter 1” was mostly setup made it a tough sell.

Costner’s Territory Pictures issued a statement aimed at salvaging the situation: “The audience response to ‘Horizon’ and the enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in ‘Horizon 2’ has been incredibly gratifying. Kevin made this film for people who love movies and who wanted to go on a journey. The support we’ve received from film fans and theater owners as they experience the first chapter of this saga only reinforces our belief in them and the films we’ve made. We thank them for coming on board for the ride. We welcome the opportunity for that window to be expanded as we believe it will enhance the experience of seeing ‘Horizon 2’.”

Currently, “Chapter 1” holds a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 48 on Metacritic. Its Cinemascore rating is a B-, which isn’t terrible but doesn’t exactly generate excitement for more.

The underwhelming response to “Horizon” is particularly challenging for Costner, who co-financed much of the project himself. Additionally, coordinating the massive production required him to step away from the hit series “Yellowstone” for its fifth season.

Despite the setback, the third chapter of “Horizon” is currently in production, with plans for part four to commence shortly.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter