Summary
A new report reveals how muchHorizon: An American Saganeeds to earn in order for Kevin Costner to get his money back. Costner serves as writer, director, producer, andstar ofHorizon: An American Saga, which chronicles settlers' arduous journey West in the years before and after the American Civil War. The epic Western represents a major passion project for Costner, who previously revealed that he’s invested $38 million of his own money into the film.
A report fromBusiness Insidernow breaks down how the financials forHorizon: An American Saganeed to work out for Costner to avoid losing money. A key point raised in the report is that it’s unclear whether the actor contributed money to the film’s estimated $30 million marketing spend. If he didn’t shell out for marketing, there’s a chance he’s already earned his $38 million back due to presales (when territories agree to distribute a film before seeing it). If he’s also responsible for the marketing costs, however, the film would reportedly need to earn $65 million domestically.
Horizon’s Complicated Financial Situation Explained
Will Kevin Costner Recoup His Investment?
Apart from Costner, the key investors covering the rest ofHorizon: An American Saga’s$100 million budget haven’t been made public. Warner Bros. has agreed to distribute the first film and theupcomingHorizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2, but their risk here is relatively low since they’re essentially serving as a distributor-for-hire. Per theBusiness Insiderreport cited above, Warner Bros. is reportedly pocketing 8% of the grosses for the film, with Costner and his other mystery investors getting their own cuts of the grosses starting from day one.
What makes the film’s financial situation especially complicated, however, is the fact thatCostner isn’t just making oneHorizonmovie – he aims to make four. The $38 million figure that Costner revealed previously was already in question because it isn’t clear whether that amount is only for the first film, or if it also covers some ofChapter 2. After reportedly struggling to find financing,Horizon 3production is now seemingly underway. How much exactly the star has invested – and continues to invest – remains something of a question mark.
Other factors that could help Costner avoid major losses onHorizonare VOD sales and a strong Pay 1 deal with a streamer or cable company.
Assuming Costner did shell out for marketing and the first film needs to earn $65 million domestically just for him to break even (the figure for the film itself to be considered a success is far higher), things aren’t off to a promising start. On top ofHorizon’s lackluster reviews, the film has been a major disappointment at the box office, grossing only about $11 million in North America on its opening weekend. It’s possible that things will turn around in the weeks ahead, but it’s currently not looking like Costner’sHorizon: An American Sagainvestment will pay off.
Why Horizon Hasn’t Been A Box Office Hit
The Kevin Costner Movie Faces An Uphill Battle
As of writing,Horizon’sRotten Tomatoesscore sits at only 46%. While reviews vary, a key complaint is that the movie, despite featuring some gorgeous vistas, is too meandering and unfocused in its storytelling. Some of the film’s problems undoubtedly stem from it laying the groundwork for three subsequent installments,makingHorizonfeel like the first entry in a miniseriesrather than a film that stands on its own two feet. Combined with the almost three-hour runtime, the poor reviews are likely deterring audiences from going to the theater.
Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Replacement Chances Look Dead After $100 Million Gamble Backfires
Costner’s new film Horizon: An American Saga is another Western, but its performance doesn’t live up to the success of Yellowstone.
Horizon’s Rotten Tomatoes audience score is higher at 71%, suggesting that general movie-goers are enjoying the film more than critics, but not by much. The movie also has aCinemascoreof B-, a similarly lukewarm result. Together, the scores suggest thatHorizonisn’t playing well enough with the audiences who do see it to garner strong word-of-mouth. Word-of-mouth can sometimes be a game-changer for movies after a poor opening weekend, but there’s no reason to believe thatHorizonwill benefit from this in the weeks ahead.
46%
71%
48/100
6.2/10
The film’s poor performance essentially cements what was already well known:Westerns don’t have much wide-audience appeal anymore. While there have been success stories in the past two decades, like Quentin Tarantino’sDjango Unchained, there have been far more disappointments, such asThe Lone Ranger(2013) andThe Magnificent Seven(2016).Horizon: An American Sagabeing a Western also means it will have to rely mostly on domestic performance at the box office, as the genre is generally unpopular overseas.
The Horizon Franchise’s Future Explained
Will Chapter 4 Even Happen?
Unfortunately for Costner, none of this bodes well for the future he envisions for the franchise. TheHorizon: An American Sagaendingpaves the way for the sequel hitting theaters in a matter of weeks, but the next film is now shaping up to be an even greater disappointment than the first movie, at least financially. It’s entirely possible thatHorizonand its sequels will be far more popular on VOD and streaming, but it’s not looking likely that even stellar home-viewing performance will be enough to salvage Costner’s expensive passion project in the short term.
Horizon 3is currently in production, but it will now be a major challenge for that film to find distribution. It will presumably be an even greater challenge for Costner to get the money together for his planned fourth film, especially if it requires another $100 million. As an original film not based on existing IP, however,Horizon: An American Sagais certainly worth celebrating, as is Costner’s sheer ambition and determination in getting his grand saga to the big screen.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Cast
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is set in 1859, following families as they settle in territories from Wyoming to Kansas. The narrative centers around a cowboy on the run with a prostitute and a young boy after a deadly confrontation, exploring the challenges of life in the Old West.
