VIP Viewpoint | Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon 2’ Pulled From August Release in Theaters After First Film Flops @VIP_Viewpoint | Uploaded July 2024 | Updated October 2024, 8 hours ago.
Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon 2’ Pulled From August Release in Theaters After First Film Flops (Exclusive)
Western Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2, starring Kevin Costner, will not, in fact, be opening in theaters on August 16.
Following the failure of Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 during its late-month theater premiere, the movie has been removed from the release schedule for the time being. The sequel will still likely be released in theaters, albeit a new release date has not yet been revealed.
Following much deliberation, Territory Pictures, owned by Costner, and distribution partner New Line Cinema decided to reschedule their ambitious release schedule with the goal of giving the $100 million first film's audience more time to grow.
In an effort to support that endeavor, Chapter 1 will continue to be viewed in cinemas and make its home premiere on Premium VOD on July 16 (the movie may perform particularly well on PVOD).
In order to allow viewers more time to find the first installment of Horizon over the next few weeks, especially on PVOD and Max, Territory Pictures and New Line Cinema have opted not to release Horizon: Chapter 2 on August 16. A New Line representative added, "We are grateful to our exhibition partners for their ongoing support as moviegoers across the U.S. discover the film during its theatrical run.
"The audience response to Horizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in Horizon 2, has been incredibly gratifying," added Territory Pictures in a separate statement. Kevin developed this movie for moviegoers who wished to embark on an adventure in mind. We are grateful for their support and for believing in our films, which we have expressed through the support we have received from moviegoers and theater owners as they see the first installment of our narrative. We are happy about the chance to extend that timeframe since we are certain it would improve the viewing experience of Horizon 2.
Max's release date has not yet been disclosed.
The parent company of New Line, Warner Bros., started informing theater owners about the unexpected last-minute move on Wednesday morning. Customers who purchased advance tickets for Chapter 2 at some theaters will now need to receive a refund.
Costner took a significant financial risk with the Horizon series, investing $38 million of his personal funds into Chapter 1 and raising the remaining funds from the sale of international rights and two unidentified investors. For a price, New Line and Warners agreed to distribute and market the first two films, with Costner covering the marketing expenses. Costner plans to produce a total of four motion pictures.
With a duration of three hours and one minute, Horizon: Chapter 1 only made $11 million on its opening weekend on June 28–30. The $100 million film had a concerning opening weekend due to its low CinemaScore of B- and unimpressive reviews (it currently has a 43% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes). For a 10-day domestic total of $22 million, it fell 51 percent in its second weekend to $5.4 million. Even worse, it hasn't made more than $3 million abroad.
The production of Chapter 2 also cost about $100 million. Costner plans to start filming Chapter 3 again in August, according to a statement from his crew last week.
Despite his reputation for confidence, Costner surprised the film industry when he said he would be directing four Horizon films, which would follow the enormous migration west during the Civil War era, for the first time in decades. Warner Bros. stated in April that it will be distributing the first two movies with a release window of less than two months apart, which was an unusual move. Because of his commitment to Horizon, Costner departed his popular program Yellowstone because he was so involved.
Although Costner's film did not quite ignite his fans or Yellowstone viewers to the desired extent, especially those between the ages of 18 and 44, it did play best in mountainous regions, the Midwest, South, and South Central states. Costner believed his film would strike a nerve in America's heartland, just as Yellowstone has. As expected, the majority of the crowd is over 45, and the film is skewing noticeably older (older consumers are not known for rushing out to watch a film right away).
Warner Bros. developed a marketing campaign that largely included Costner, who both toured the nation and had the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The studio also made use of sibling organizations that are a part of Warner Bros. Discovery, such as TCM, where Costner made an appearance as a guest programmer, and TNT sporting events, such MLB and NBA games. In addition, there were trips to military bases and comprehensive screening procedures in other locations.
The return date of Horizon: Chapter 2 to theaters has not yet been announced. The third and fourth film's distribution rights were not acquired by Warner Bros. or New Line.
Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon 2’ Pulled From August Release in Theaters After First Film Flops (Exclusive)
Western Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2, starring Kevin Costner, will not, in fact, be opening in theaters on August 16.
Following the failure of Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 during its late-month theater premiere, the movie has been removed from the release schedule for the time being. The sequel will still likely be released in theaters, albeit a new release date has not yet been revealed.
Following much deliberation, Territory Pictures, owned by Costner, and distribution partner New Line Cinema decided to reschedule their ambitious release schedule with the goal of giving the $100 million first film's audience more time to grow.
In an effort to support that endeavor, Chapter 1 will continue to be viewed in cinemas and make its home premiere on Premium VOD on July 16 (the movie may perform particularly well on PVOD).
In order to allow viewers more time to find the first installment of Horizon over the next few weeks, especially on PVOD and Max, Territory Pictures and New Line Cinema have opted not to release Horizon: Chapter 2 on August 16. A New Line representative added, "We are grateful to our exhibition partners for their ongoing support as moviegoers across the U.S. discover the film during its theatrical run.
"The audience response to Horizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in Horizon 2, has been incredibly gratifying," added Territory Pictures in a separate statement. Kevin developed this movie for moviegoers who wished to embark on an adventure in mind. We are grateful for their support and for believing in our films, which we have expressed through the support we have received from moviegoers and theater owners as they see the first installment of our narrative. We are happy about the chance to extend that timeframe since we are certain it would improve the viewing experience of Horizon 2.
Max's release date has not yet been disclosed.
The parent company of New Line, Warner Bros., started informing theater owners about the unexpected last-minute move on Wednesday morning. Customers who purchased advance tickets for Chapter 2 at some theaters will now need to receive a refund.
Costner took a significant financial risk with the Horizon series, investing $38 million of his personal funds into Chapter 1 and raising the remaining funds from the sale of international rights and two unidentified investors. For a price, New Line and Warners agreed to distribute and market the first two films, with Costner covering the marketing expenses. Costner plans to produce a total of four motion pictures.
With a duration of three hours and one minute, Horizon: Chapter 1 only made $11 million on its opening weekend on June 28–30. The $100 million film had a concerning opening weekend due to its low CinemaScore of B- and unimpressive reviews (it currently has a 43% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes). For a 10-day domestic total of $22 million, it fell 51 percent in its second weekend to $5.4 million. Even worse, it hasn't made more than $3 million abroad.
The production of Chapter 2 also cost about $100 million. Costner plans to start filming Chapter 3 again in August, according to a statement from his crew last week.
Despite his reputation for confidence, Costner surprised the film industry when he said he would be directing four Horizon films, which would follow the enormous migration west during the Civil War era, for the first time in decades. Warner Bros. stated in April that it will be distributing the first two movies with a release window of less than two months apart, which was an unusual move. Because of his commitment to Horizon, Costner departed his popular program Yellowstone because he was so involved.
Although Costner's film did not quite ignite his fans or Yellowstone viewers to the desired extent, especially those between the ages of 18 and 44, it did play best in mountainous regions, the Midwest, South, and South Central states. Costner believed his film would strike a nerve in America's heartland, just as Yellowstone has. As expected, the majority of the crowd is over 45, and the film is skewing noticeably older (older consumers are not known for rushing out to watch a film right away).
Warner Bros. developed a marketing campaign that largely included Costner, who both toured the nation and had the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The studio also made use of sibling organizations that are a part of Warner Bros. Discovery, such as TCM, where Costner made an appearance as a guest programmer, and TNT sporting events, such MLB and NBA games. In addition, there were trips to military bases and comprehensive screening procedures in other locations.
The return date of Horizon: Chapter 2 to theaters has not yet been announced. The third and fourth film's distribution rights were not acquired by Warner Bros. or New Line.
