Kevin Costner's 'Horizon' Falls Short at Box Office, But Star Remains Proud

Kevin Costner's Western epic "Horizon" has faced disappointing box office performance, but the actor and director remains confident that the film will endure for generations. Costner believes that "Horizon" offers a valuable historical perspective on the hardships faced by American settlers and is proud of the film's message of unity.

Kevin Costner is standing by his Western epic "Horizon" despite its disappointing box office debut. The actor and director, known for his portrayal of rugged American heroes, poured decades of his own time and money into the ambitious four-part saga.

Kevin Costner's 'Horizon' Falls Short at Box Office, But Star Remains Proud

However, the first installment of "Horizon: An American Saga" has only earned a meager $23 million in theaters over two weeks, far below expectations for a film of its scale. As a result, the studio has delayed the release of the second film, "Horizon 2," giving audiences more time to discover the first chapter.

Costner is unfazed by the box office setbacks and remains convinced that "Horizon" will ultimately find its audience. "I know that this movie is going to play for the next 50 years," he told E! News.

Kevin Costner's 'Horizon' Falls Short at Box Office, But Star Remains Proud

The actor believes that "Horizon" offers a valuable historical perspective on the hardships faced by American settlers. He hopes the film will inspire a sense of unity and remind viewers of the importance of working together for the common good.

"I'm really proud of it," Costner said of "Horizon." "It's not just a Western, it's a history of migration and what they had to do to survive."

Kevin Costner's 'Horizon' Falls Short at Box Office, But Star Remains Proud

The first installment of the "Horizon" saga only earned $23 million in theaters over two weeks. The studio had originally planned a back-to-back release of the first two films, but seemingly pivoted following the poor box office performance.

Despite the poor box office performance, the Venice Film Festival chose to screen the first two films back-to-back. "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1" will play in the morning, followed by "Chapter 2" in the evening on Sept. 7.

Kevin Costner's 'Horizon' Falls Short at Box Office, But Star Remains Proud

"That was a nice development over there," Costner told the outlet. "They understand that it's a saga."

The move was a humbling acknowledgment that Costner’s big theatrical gamble for his decades-long passion project was slow to catch on with audiences. The first chapter of "Horizon," which debuted in May at the Cannes Film Festival, cost some $100 million to make, making its path to profitability extremely challenging if not impossible.

Kevin Costner's 'Horizon' Falls Short at Box Office, But Star Remains Proud

Costner put $38 million of his own money into the first movie, as he told GQ, and has already begun filming the third installment. "I know they say I’ve got $20 million of my own money in this movie," he revealed. "It’s not true. I’ve got now about $38 million in the film. That’s the truth. That’s the real number."

Despite the setbacks, Costner remains optimistic about the future of "Horizon." He believes that the film's historical and cultural significance will ultimately outweigh its box office performance.

"I know that this movie is going to play for the next 50 years," he said. "I know it's going to play for the next 50 years. I know it's going to be a part of the American story."