Horizon: An American Saga lead actor and director Kevin Costner seems unbothered by the negative reviews Chapter 1 of the four-part Western drama film keeps garnering. The Oscar-winning filmmaker claims Horizon has staying power, regardless of what “dismissive” critics say about it.
Speaking with E! News, Costner insists he’s “proud” of Chapter 1 despite its ill-fated theatrical run and thinks audiences will watch Horizon for generations to come given its quality. “I’ve faced life with people being dismissive of me,” Costner said. “But they can’t be dismissive of Horizon, because now it’s out of their hands. And they might point to the finish line – well, this is what it did at the box office – but I know that this movie is going to play for the next 50 years.”
Horizon chronicles the expansion of the American West during the Civil War era, with Costner helming, scripting and starring in his passion project, which he significantly financed. Boasting a $50 million budget, Chapter 1 made just $32.7 million at the glob al box office and earned a 48% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, sparking questions about whether Horizon will fulfill its four-movie arc. However, Costner believes Horizon’s contextualization of an important time in America’s history and its emotional beats give the film long-term appeal.
“There’s a moment in time where you want [your children] to see this movie,” he said. “To understand that this is what their [ancestors] went through. It’s not just a Western, it’s a history of migration and what they had to do to survive. And I’m really proud of it.”
It’s not just a Western, it’s a history of migration and what they had to do to survive.
Also starring Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Michael Rooker, Giovanni Ribisi and Jena Malone, Chapter 1 was set to be the first of two Horizon films to drop this summer, with Chapter 2 originally scheduled for an Aug. 16 release. However, Chapter 1’s poor performance led to Chapter 2 being pulled from its release date as New Line Cinema and Costner’s Territory Pictures hoped to give fans time to understand the first film. Much criticism about the first film cited its lack of character depth and emotional connection.
While Chapter 1 struggled on the big screen, it has earned back some goodwill since its release on the video-on-demand market. The film, which boasts a run time of 3 hours and 1 minute, is Costner’s latest Western, having helmed previous efforts such as Dances with Wolves and Open Range, with the former winning Costner the Best Director Academy Award.
The Second Chapter Is Heading to Venice
Chapter 2 is set to premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 7, with no date yet set for a wider release. Chapter 3 is currently in production, while Chapter 4 is in active development.
Chapter 1 of Horizon is now available to rent/purchase via VOD and will premiere on Max, with no date set for its streaming debut.