Horizon: An American Saga– Chapter 1is finding success on streaming after a disappointing theatrical run. Written, directed, produced, and starring Kevin Costner, the Western epic hit theaters earlier this summer, grossing only $36.1 million worldwide and earning mixed reviews from critics. The performance of the first film was so bad, in fact, that Warner Bros. canceled plans toreleaseHorizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2, which was originally slated to bow in mid-August.
Now, however, data fromReelgoodreveals thatHorizon: An American Sagaranks as the tenth most popular movie on streaming in the U.S. for the week of August 29 – September 4. This marks the second consecutive week Costner’s film appeared on Reelgood’s chart, with the Western previously ranking fifth.Horizonnow falls behind titles likeJackpot!(2024),The Union(2024),The Deliverance(2024), andThe Watchers(2024). Check out the full top 10 list below:
What Horizon’s Streaming Success Means For The Franchise
There’s Still Reason To Be Concerned About Costner’s Western Saga
TheHorizon: An American Sagaendingteases that the story is far from over, with Costner having clearly stated his intentions to make four films in the saga in total.Chapter 2has been completed, but the third film, which is at least partially filmed, has reportedly stalled due to the underperformance of the first movie.The second installment just recently screened at the Venice Film Festival, earning the same mixed reviews as its predecessor, which doesn’t paint a strong picture for the franchise’s future.
Varietyreports thatChapter 1’s budget is $100 million, whileThe Numbershas reported that it’s $50 million, with the $100 million having seemingly been split across the first two films. Either way, grossing $36 million makes the film a failure.
In theChapter 2cancelation announcement, Warner Bros. and Costner suggested the move was more of a postponement in order to give audiences more time to discover the first installment. ConsideringHorizondominated VOD chartsin July and is now performing well on streaming, this is presumably what is happening. It seems unlikely, however, that the film, which has only a 70% audience score onRotten Tomatoes, is winning over enough viewers to make the theatrical releases of later installments any more successful.
Our Take On Horizon’s Streaming Success
Costner’s Movie Should Have Been A Limited Series
WithHorizonhaving occupied fifth place last week and tenth place this week,it’s likely that the film won’t appear on the next Reelgood chart. If Costner’s film can’t stay on the streaming chart for three consecutive weeks, there’s little reason to believe the sequels would fare any better theatrically. The secondHorizonmovie will probably release in theaters eventually, but there’s reason to doubt that the third and fourth films will, if they get made at all.
Horizon: An American Saga’s Timeline Is A Fatal Flaw For This Major Storyline
Horizon: An American Saga aims to cover more than 15 years across 4 movies, and some narrative strength is already being lost to the rushed timeline.
Horizon: An American Sagareviewscriticized the film for feeling more like a TV show than a movie, and it probably should have been. If Costner’s project had instead been an eight-part limited series that landed on Paramount+ or another streamer, it may have fared better, and it definitely would have avoided being almost solely defined by its box office failure. Costner’s ambition is certainly admirable and there’s a lot inHorizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1worth celebrating, but it’s not looking like the movie’s newfound streaming success will be quite enough to change the narrative.
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.
