Horizon: Chapter 2 will no longer arrive in theaters on Aug. 16 as originally planned after the film’s first installment debuted in theaters to dismal numbers.
Less than two weeks after the Kevin Costner-helmed project Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 premiered to $11 million — roughly one-tenth of the film’s estimated $100 million budget — studio reps tell ET that they are pushing Chapter 2 in order to give the film time to find a wider audience.
The first film premiered in theaters on June 28 and has made roughly $17 million domestically — bringing in $5.36 million in its second weekend — according to box office tracking website The Numbers.
“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,” New Line Cinema tells ET. “We thank our exhibition partners for their continued support as moviegoers across the US discover the film in its theatrical run.”
A spokesperson for Territory Pictures adds, “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.”
They share, “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.”
Chapter 2 does not have a new release date yet. Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 are currently in production, Costner told ET at the Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 premiere in June.
At the time, the Field of Dreams actor, 69, shared that shooting was “going well” and that the cast and crew were excited to see how Chapter 1 was received by the audience. “We’ve shot about 13 days of it and we’re coming back in August to finish it off,” Costner shared. “I saw [Chapter 2] yesterday, and I’m really happy to be able to say that it’s just as good as 1, and maybe better.”
All four parts take place across a timespan of 15 years in pre and post-Civil War United States and tell a story primarily focused on the “expansion and settlement of the American west,” according to a synopsis for the movies. Costner plays Hayes Ellison, a character he named after his son — who also makes his acting debut in the film.
Watch the trailer for the movie in the player below:
In May, after Chapter 1 premiered at Cannes and received a seven-minute standing ovation, the actor and filmmaker chatted with GQ about how he finally brought his passion project — four decades in the making — to the screen.
According to The Bodyguard star, he opted to self-fund the sprawling Western alongside two outside investors in order to get it made.
“I know they say I’ve got $20 million of my own money in this movie,” Costner told the outlet, adding, “It’s not true. I’ve now got about $38 million in the film. That’s the truth. That’s the real number.”
He explained that rather than investing in properties or companies, it was more important for him to show his seven children — all of whom supported him throughout the press junket leading up to the movie’s release — to follow their dreams.
“That’s the message I want my kids to understand about who I am: that I do what I believe in,” he said.
Horizon Chapter 1 arrives on PVOD on July 16.
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