Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ Falls Out of Top 5 in Second Weekend

Kevin Costner’s highly anticipated Western epic, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, has encountered a challenging second week at the box office. Despite the film’s initial buzz, its performance has notably deteriorated. According to recent data from The Numbers, Horizon garnered an estimated $5.4 million from 3,334 theaters during its second weekend, falling to No. 6 in the North American box office rankings. This represents a dramatic 50% drop in earnings compared to its opening weekend, where it secured $11 million and a third-place finish.

The film’s current global earnings stand at $22.1 million. However, the international box office contribution is alarmingly low, with only $455,610 coming from overseas ticket sales. This situation underscores the film’s heavy reliance on domestic revenue to recover its production costs. The first chapter of Horizon had an estimated production budget of $50 million. This figure, provided by The Numbers, contrasts sharply with earlier reports from Variety, which suggested a combined production cost of $100 million for both the first and second chapters. This discrepancy might imply that the $100 million estimate includes the budget for the yet-to-be-released second chapter, which is slated for an August 16 release.

Kevin Costner’s personal financial commitment to Horizon is substantial. Variety has reported that Costner invested $38 million of his own money to fund the film’s production. The remainder of the budget was secured through two private investors. In addition to the production costs, Costner and his investors also shouldered a $30 million expense for the film’s prints and advertising (P&A). This financial arrangement leaves Warner Bros., the film’s distributor, with minimal financial involvement, placing a considerable burden on Costner to recoup the investment through box office returns.

The future of the remaining chapters of Horizon: An American Saga remains uncertain. Despite Costner’s dedication to the project, including confirmation of starting production on the third installment, there are no guarantees that the subsequent chapters will be completed or released. The expansive narrative of Horizon, set during the American Civil War and focusing on the westward expansion of the United States, unfolds through the perspectives of multiple characters. The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast, featuring Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Michael Rooker, Wase Chief, Abbey Lee, Jena Malone, Luke Wilson, and Danny Huston.

The critical reception for Horizon has been lukewarm. Rotten Tomatoes shows a modest increase in the critics’ score from 40% to 46%, based on 119 reviews. Despite this, the film still holds a “rotten” designation on the review aggregation site. On a more positive note, the Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes stands at 71%, indicating a “fresh” response from over 1,000 verified user ratings.

The conclusion of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 provides a glimpse into the upcoming Chapter 2, which is scheduled for theatrical release on August 16. As fans await the next installment, the film’s current performance raises questions about its long-term success and the viability of completing the full saga.