For a while, it seemed like Kevin Costner was going to have to swallow his pride. The beginning of his 'Horizon: An American Saga' film series firmly tanks at the box office. The first installment only earns $11 million at the box office on opening weekend. Furthermore, the budget ran for $100 million. Moreover, Costner puts up $38 million of his own money to see his passion project through to the end.
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Consequently, the future for Kevin Costner's films looked dim. Those who preordered tickets for the sequel were swiftly refunded. Furthermore, they prepped to send its first film onto streaming and see if people bit from there. However, it seems like Horizon gets its opportunity to continue and dazzle after a surprise investor comes into play.
Recently, Variety reports that 'Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two' will premiere at Venice Film Festival. It stars Costner once again alongside Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone and Danny Huston. Furthermore, it arrives at the festival on September 7th.
Kevin Costner's 'Horizon: An American Saga' Film Series Sees Redemption at Venice Film Festival
Predictably, Kevin Costner finds immense relief as a film purist and as someone with a ton of stock in the series' success. In addition, he says this was always his dream destination for his film to premiere. "The fact that now they have decided to show 'Chapter One' earlier in the day and then the world premiere of 'Chapter Two' that evening shows not only their belief in how the two films work together but their support of a director's vision. I'm indebted to Alberto Barbera for his courage and leadership in committing to this cinematic journey," he says.
As for Alberto Barbera, he finds it essential to laud a legend in the film industry while he's here. Moreover, the ambition Kevin Costner brings to the table is something to be applauded. He says, "This late addition to the lineup of the Venice Film Festival pays a heartfelt and respectful tribute to the visionary project of a great actor and director, who invested himself in the epic reconstruction of the years crucial to the founding of the country, digging beyond myth in search of authenticity capable of restoring a piece of history in its complex and contradictory reality."
The festival crowd seems to love what Kevin Costner brings to the table. The first film premiered at Cannes Film Festival. After, it receives a seven minute standing ovation from the crowd, bringing the actor to tears in the process. We'll see if it translates past the festival crowd and into theaters worldwide.
