Summary
- Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1's release date on Max has been set for August 23, following a poor box office performance.
- The movie earned $34.3 million against a $50 million budget, prompting the pull of Chapter 2 from release to see how the film performs through other avenues.
- Success on the streaming platform could decide the future of the franchise, which remains uncertain, despite Costner wanting to produce a total of four films.
Horizon: An American Saga's box office numbers were poor, earning $34.3 million against a $50 million budget. This resulted in Chapter 2 getting pulled from its original theatrical release date of August 16, instead premiering at the Venice Film Festival on September 7. While Horizon saw success upon VOD release, the future of the franchise as a whole still remains unclear.
Now, Max has confirmed that Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is galloping its way onto the streaming platform on Friday, August 23, following its disappointing box office performance. The release date also comes two months after the movie originally arrived in theaters, a rather fast turnaround for a film to go to streaming. Its performance on the platform could end up determining the franchise's future, depending on how many viewers end up watching it.
Does Horizon: An American Saga Have A Future On Max?
Its Performance Could Help Chapter 2 & Beyond
Given the poor theatrical performance of Horizon Chapter 1 when it was released back in June, it's currently unclear if any future installments are going to come out in theaters. While Chapter 2 has a chance, potentially depending on how well it's received at the Venice Film Festival, Costner's planned third and fourth installments remain unclear. This is especially the case at present, considering Chapter 3 has reportedly halted production due to financing issues. With the franchise's future uncertain, its Max release might be just what it needs to get revitalized.
Depending on how well the film performs during its streaming debut, the rest of Costner's envisioned Western epic could have a home on the platform moving forward. While this could mean the films would miss out on a potential revival in theaters, it might also be a safer bet for the movies after the first one's poor performance. It would also fulfill the promise of resolving Horizon Chapter 1's ending, keeping the only installment from ending on a cliffhanger for those who want to see the director's vision through.
Horizon: An American Saga Cast & Character Guide
Kevin Costner has been working on his film Horizon: An American Saga for several years, but who are the main plays in the Western?
Although there's still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the release of Horizon Chapter 2 and beyond, interest in Horizon Chapter 1 could help keep Costner's story alive. Even though it would be disappointing for the rest of his films to be pulled from the big screen, having them show up on streaming is better than seeing them all cancelled and the story unfinished. With potential still alive for the franchise to continue, it remains to be seen how its Max release will impact plans for the other three movies.
Kevin Costner first came up with the idea for Horizon in 1988. What was once a single movie expanded into a 12-hour Western epic he hopes to tell across four movies.
Source: Max
Horizon: An American Saga
- Created by
- Kevin Costner, Jon Baird, Mark Kasdan
- First Film
- Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
- Latest Film
- Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
- Films
- Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2, Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 3, Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 4
- Cast
- Abbey Lee, Jamie Campbell Bower, Luke Wilson, Tatanka Means, Ella Hunt, Will Patton, Isabelle Fuhrman
"Horizon: An American Saga" is a series of epic Western films directed, produced, and co-written by Kevin Costner. The saga spans pre- and post-Civil War America, detailing the exploration and settlement of the American West over 15 years, and follows multiple storylines of fictional characters as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of this tumultuous period.
