It may seem like a setback, but Kevin Costner delaying the release of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 might save his franchise plans. Costner may not have as many Westerns to his name as Clint Eastwood or John Wayne, but he’s still very closely tied to the genre. Kevin Costner Westerns like Dances with Wolves or Open Range are some of the best to come out of the genre following its Golden Age, and even Yellowstone is a Western of sorts.

With the Horizon saga, Costner is setting out on his most ambitious and risky project to date. The star/director plans to make four movies, with Horizon’s cast of characters trying to make a new life in the titular frontier town during the 1860s. Sadly, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 has performed poorly, having failed to earn back its reported $50 million production budget at the box office (via The Numbers). Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 was supposed to be released on August 16th, 2024, but the first movie’s performance has seen it pulled from schedules.

Horizon Is Better Suited To Home Viewing Than The Movie Theater

Costner may have to adjust his Horizon expectations if he wants to complete his saga

Costner is an old-fashioned movie star who believes in the power of the theatrical experience. He spent over 30 years developing Horizon and has decided he needs four chapters to tell the full story. His ambition is admirable, and he very much wanted the series to be experienced on cinema screens. Unfortunately, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 felt like a long pilot episode setting up an epic miniseries, with many viewers and critics feeling underwhelmed by the film as a standalone Western adventure.

In theory, delaying Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 is about giving the original a chance to grow a bigger audience. The first entry is thus heading to VOD, where it’s likely to find a more willing, patient viewership. Regardless of a movie’s quality, the fact is that asking modern audiences to turn up for a three-hour Western epic is a big ask. That’s why the box office predictions for Horizon were so muted once Costner announced his plans.

The movies were always more likely to find an audience at home regardless, which is why some are baffled Costner didn’t mount it as a limited series. In an ideal world, Chapter 1 would have been a comfortable success and eager fans would have rushed to Chapter 2 soon after, but as the box office shows, the audience just isn’t there for it yet. Costner likely didn’t want to back off his original plan, but if Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 is going to rescue the franchise, he needs more time to build anticipation for it.

Other Box Office Flops Have Found Bigger Audiences On VOD & Streaming

Horizon’s VOD performance could prove the audience is there

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga was the long-awaited prequel to Fury Road, but despite great reviews, the R-rated blockbuster is one of 2024’s biggest bombs theatrically. However, Furiosa quickly found a second life on VOD, where those viewers who skipped it in theaters were still curious to catch up on it at home. In an EW conversation with Ben Affleck in 2022, the actor/director revealed his disappointment about Ridley Scott’s acclaimed The Last Duel bombing at the box office, only to feel vindicated when it became a success on streaming instead.

The same thing happened to Affleck’s sports drama Air in 2023. Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is not a guaranteed VOD hit, but those for interested enough to check it out might find the film more pleasurable from the comfort of their sofas, where they can pause for a bathroom break whenever they like. VOD has given a second life to many movies that were written off following their opening weekends, and Horizon – more than most – could benefit hugely from this secondary market.

A Bigger Gap Between Horizon Movies Makes Costner’s Two-Part Story Accessible

Audiences need some time to absorb Horizon’s first chapter

Costner obviously envisioned Horizon: An American Saga to be a major event in the summer of 2024, but this approach again suggests the story was a better fit for television. Releasing Chapter 1 in June and expecting audiences to return for Chapter 2 in August was the very definition of optimism, and was simply too tight oa window. Even in the case of the two-part Avengers sequels, Infinity War and Endgame, the filmmakers were wise enough to give viewers a year-long gap so they could absorb the events of the former and get jazzed for the finale.

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 tells a big story with a large ensemble, and thus needed to give the viewing public time to digest it. Assuming Horizon: Chapter 2 remains a theatrical release as Costner planned, it will stand a better chance at the box office once more eyeballs get to experience the first part. This will also help generate some positive word of mouth.

Plus, those who really enjoyed the first Horizon: An American Saga can get excited for the next chapter. More than anything, the delay will give the VOD release time to help the saga’s financial returns look healthier, which will be key for attracting investors to parts three and four.

Source: The Numbers, EW