Kevin Costner's Epic Western Released 6 Months Ago Is Now Streaming On Netflix – And The Sequel Is Already Coming In 2025

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is currently in Netflix’s top 10, and the after-the-holidays time is the perfect chance to watch it in preparation for Kevin Costner’s second chapter releasing in 2025. Dancing with Wolves’ Academy award-winning director takes on his first screenplay challenge alongside writers Jon Baird and Silverado’s Mark Kasdan to fulfill his longtime dream of creating his own epic western. Kevin Costner planned the Horizon saga since 1988, and it’s composed of four chapters that are set to be released back-to-back.

Though Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 got mixed reviews, Costner’s love and commitment to the genre permeates the film, imbuing its beautiful landscapes, affecting score, and heart-rending script — which explores the complicated battle between the Native American peoples and settler colonies during the American West expansion. Presenting six storylines, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 has an extensive cast, setting up an all-encompassing story that begs to be further developed in the franchise’s next installments.

Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 Is Now Streaming On Netflix

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 Finds Streaming Success

After earning just $36M at the box office, Horizon: An American Saga has found streaming success since early September. The movie was recently added to Netflix’s catalog, and its performance shows promise for the rest of the chapters. Notably, its three-hour runtime might have deterred audiences from a theatrical watch, though eager audiences have claimed there’s so much happening and being revealed that its extensive duration is not felt at all.

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 had a budget of $100M.

The first movie follows, among others, settler families forced to relocate, army characters, and those who fall in between, as they engage in conflict with each other, and the Native American communities who fight for their right to the Land. Costner’s noble hero, Hayes Ellison, is understandably a stand-out, as well as the romance between Frances Kittredge (Sienna Miller) and Trent Gephart (Sam Worthington). The Horizon: An American Saga ending teases what’s in store for the tragic characters, whose journey feels like it’s just begun.

When Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 Will Release

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 Will Probably Release Early In 2025

Luke Wilson as Matthew Van Weyden in a Field with a Wagon and Horses in Horizon: An American Saga

After the first installment’s disappointing box office performance, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2’s release date was cancelled. The sequel was supposed to come out on August 16, 2024, but it has now been moved to an undefined date on 2025. Because of this, the second chapter had the opportunity to premiere at the Venice Festival. In a recent interview with Variety, Costner confirmed Chapter 2 will have a theatrical release later in the year, and is optimistic about the movies standing the test of time.

The movie received a 70% Rotten Tomatoes audience score, and critics appear to be warming up to the director’s endeavor, with its latest reviews raising its RT critics score to 51%.

The sequel is finished, so fans can rest assured they will see more of the unfortunate characters and get a glimpse into how their journeys might clash together as they make their way to Horizon, an originating town in Arizona. Whether Horizon Chapter 3 will happen is less certain, as Costner aims to film chapters 3 and 4 in Spring 2025, but is currently trying to get funding because his deal with Warner Bros. Pictures only included two installments, and was likely dependent on the saga’s theatrical performance.

Kevin Costner’s 4-Movie Plan For Horizon Explained

Costner Could Benefit From A Streaming Release For Chapters 3 & 4

Despite Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’s box office flop, fans of the Western epic seem as determined as Costner to see it get to its planned conclusion. The movie received a 70% Rotten Tomatoes audience score, and critics appear to be warming up to the director’s endeavor, with its latest reviews raising its RT critics score to 51%. Notably, Kevin Costner contributed money to Horizon 1 and 2’s budget, and is likely to continue doing so. After all, he had been waiting 37 years to make his dream saga.

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Things look promising for the project, as even Stephen King defended Costner’s Horizon for its originality. Additionally, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’s streaming success hints that the final parts could largely benefit from shifting to a streaming release, even if it means denying audiences the opportunity to witness its outstanding cinematography on the big screen. Contrarily, as Chapter 1 of Kevin Costner’s epic western is currently on Netflix’s top charts, viewers worldwide may be considering hitting theaters to watch the sequel in 2025.

Sources: Variety