We recently reflected on the fully completed western epic that’s just hanging in Warner Bros.’ vault — Kevin Costner‘s Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2. Horizon: Chapter 1 was a big enough flop that the sequel, which was initially set for an August 2024 release, never came out. The rumor has always been that WB, which was only the distributor of the films, wasn’t footing the market budget for the sequel and that Costner opted to pull the movie in the hopes that Horizon would eventually find its audience on streaming and eventually lead to a theatrical release.
However, Chapter 2 would still premiere at the Venice Film Festival and screen at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, both to a positive reception. And while the release of that film is still up in the air, Costner still has a drive to make Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. The Hollywood Reporter recently examined the latest developments in Costner’s career and reports that he is still looking to fund Chapter 3‘s unfinished production. Costner told THR last year, “I need some more money — I do. I need some of these big billionaires, with fucking boats ‘from here to here’ who are fond of telling people they’re billionaires, to come with me and make a movie. I don’t have the money they have, and I’ve already made two of ’em. Where are you rich guys?”
Last year, Costner even went to look for funding in Riyadh while he accepted a lifetime achievement award from Saudi Arabia’s Joy Awards. During his acceptance speech, Costner would say, “Saudi Arabia deserves its place on the world stage, and I urge you to tell your own stories. Invest in the emotional, and the universal and the historical that you know them to be — you will never regret it.” While in Riyadh, he sought out top Saudi officials and pitched to them his plans for the remaining chapters in order to get them to finance both films.
Per THR, “According to two sources, the Saudis were open to investing a certain amount in the franchise, but not the sum that Costner was seeking. He ultimately walked away with nothing. Costner’s spokesman confirmed but downplayed those talks saying that he had ‘cursory’ discussions with Saudi officials about financing Horizon.”
Several lawsuits involving unpaid fees have also been filed, hinting that the movie’s complicated financing scheme might have been a mess behind the scenes. Additionally, there is a lawsuit from a stuntwoman who claims Costner had her film a rape scene without proper precautions, which he denies. Time will tell if Costner will be able to fully realize his vision.
