‘Horizon’ Earns $2.4M at Box Office as Digital Streaming Date Nears

Kevin Costner’s troubled project, Horizon: An American Saga, garnered $2.4 million at the box office over the weekend, landing in seventh place, according to The Numbers.

This is the latest setback for Costner’s first installment of his envisioned four-part Western saga, which initially pulled in $11 million domestically upon its June 28 premiere. Titled Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, the three-hour and one-minute film fell out of the top five in its second week of release.

Not long after, the digital streaming date for Horizon was revealed, with the film slated to debut on premium video on demand on Tuesday, July 16.

Following this announcement, Costner’s production company, Territory Pictures, and Warner Bros. subsidiary New Line Cinema, which is the distribution partner for Horizon, made a difficult decision. Together they decided to pull Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 from its planned August 16 theatrical release date.

Written, directed by, and starring Kevin Costner, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is set in the Civil War era and explores the expansion of the American West.

Although Costner is billed as the lead, he plays more of a supporting role in a large ensemble cast that includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Wase Chief, Michael Rooker, Jena Malone, and Danny Huston.

With its $2.4 million earnings in North American theaters over the weekend, Horizon has amassed $27 million domestically to date.

However, this is significantly less than the $38 million of his own money that Costner invested in the project. Additionally, two private investors covered the remaining costs. While New Line is handling the distribution, it does not have a substantial financial stake in Costner’s Western epic.

There has been some confusion regarding the production cost of Horizon 1. The Numbers lists the production budget at $50 million, while Variety reports a $100 million budget.

It is likely that the $100 million figure includes the production costs for both Horizon 1 and Horizon 2. What is clear, as noted by Variety, is that Costner and his investors are also financing a $30 million budget for prints and advertising.

Internationally, Horizon 1 has had a minimal impact, earning just $1.4 million in ticket sales. This brings the film’s worldwide box office total to $28.4 million.

Negative reviews have also hindered the film’s success. According to Rotten Tomatoes, critics have collectively given Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 a 47% “rotten” rating based on 130 reviews. Meanwhile, over 1,000 users on the site have given it a 71% “fresh” Audience Score.

The potential saving grace for Horizon lies in its premium video on demand release, where it is priced at $24.99 for purchase and $19.99 for a 48-hour rental period.

Source: Forbes, The Numbers, Variety