Kevin Costner Uses His Last Resort to Squeeze Some Profit Out of ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ After Its Nightmare Box Office Run

Released on June 28, 2024, Kevin Costner’s big western drama, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter One, didn’t have the best start at the box office. Even though Costner put a lot of effort and his own money into the movie, it didn’t make as much as people hoped during its first weekend.

Horizon: An American Saga is a big story told in four parts about how the American West grew during the Civil War. Now, the Hollywood star tries one last trick to make some money from Horizon – Chapter One after its terrible box office performance.

Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter One Struggles at the Box Office

Kevin Costner reportedly spent a significant amount of his own money on the film, estimated at $38 million (per Variety), to make it happen. He even paused working on his hit TV show Yellowstone to focus on this project.

The film features a large and talented cast, including Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, and Michael Rooker. However, reactions to the film have been mixed on Rotten Tomatoes, with only 47% rating. Some praised its beautiful visuals and ambitious scope, but others thought it was slow and unfocused, especially since it’s just the beginning of a bigger story. New Yorker’s Top Critic Richard Brody wrote:

This mixed feedback led to a disappointing box office opening of $11 million (according to The Numbers), much lower than expected. The film’s earnings continued to drop, with a 50% decline in its second weekend. In its second Friday-Sunday run, it only made $5.4 million at 3,334 theaters.

Kevin Costner Seeks This Strategy to Save the Struggling Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter One

Variety reported Horizon – Chapter One had a big budget of $50 million (or maybe even $100 million for the first two parts), so it needs to find its way to cover its costs. The box office isn’t looking good for profits, but there’s still hope that the movie could make money when it comes out on home video platforms. It will also be available to watch at home, premiering on digital-on-demand on July 16 (via Blu-ray).

Horizon – Chapter One might do well on premium VOD services, where viewers pay a higher price to rent new releases. The film could attract older viewers who prefer watching movies at home. Plus, the long and detailed story might work better for home viewing, where people can watch it in parts at their own pace.