Kevin Costner‘s grand Western epic just hit a massive roadblock. The second installment of Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga has been abruptly pulled from its scheduled August 16 theatrical release, per The Hollywood Reporter. This decision follows the first chapter’s disappointing performance at the box office earlier this summer.
New Line Pictures, the distributor, and Territory Pictures, Costner’s production company, jointly agreed to postpone the film’s release. Their primary goal is to allow more time for the initial installment to build an audience. As part of this strategy, Horizon—Chapter 1 will be made available on PVOD starting July 16, though a release date for streaming on Max has not yet been determined.
A New Line spokesperson stated, “Territory Pictures and New Line Cinema have decided not to release ‘Horizon: Chapter 2’ on August 16 in order to give audiences a greater opportunity to discover the first installment of ‘Horizon’ over the coming weeks, including on PVOD and MAX. We thank our exhibition partners for their continued support as moviegoers across the US discover the film in its theatrical run.”
Territory Pictures echoed the statement, noting, “The audience response to Horizon, and 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 that we have received from film fans, and the theater owners, as they experience the first chapter of this saga only serves to reinforce our belief in them and the films that we have made, and we thank them for coming on board for the ride. We welcome the opportunity for that window to be expanded as we know it will only serve to enhance the experience of seeing ‘Horizon 2.'”
The Horizon films represent a significant financial investment, with a reported combined budget of $100 million, a substantial portion of which came from Costner’s own pocket. However, the first installment has struggled to recoup its costs, generating only $23 million at the box office since its late June release.
Critics have been less than enthusiastic about Horizon, with many describing it as a vanity project and drawing comparisons to an extended episode of Yellowstone. The film’s reception at the Cannes Film Festival failed to generate the hoped-for buzz.
Despite these setbacks, Costner remains committed to his vision. He has plans for at least two more chapters of Horizon, with production on Chapter 3 initially slated to begin in August. However, New Line had only agreed to distribute the first two films for a fee, with Costner himself shouldering the marketing costs.
The postponement of Horizon — Chapter 2 leaves its new release date uncertain, potentially pushing it out of the current year altogether. This delay disrupts an already ambitious release strategy that would have seen the second film hit theaters just over a month after the first.
Costner has been actively promoting this passion project, which marks his return to directing after a two-decade hiatus. However, his efforts have been overshadowed by ongoing tensions with Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, with Costner hinting to IndieWire that Sheridan may have “borrowed” material from Horizon.
The future of Costner’s Western saga remains unclear. For now, the actor and his team are banking on the extended promotional window to build momentum for the first installment, hoping that increased exposure will translate into greater enthusiasm for the subsequent chapters of the film.