A U.S. premiere has been set forHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2. The movie is part of a planned four-part epic Western movie franchise co-written, produced, and directed by star Kevin Costner. While it was originally set to premiere on August 02, 2025,Chapter 1dramatically underperformed when it premiered that June, grossing $38.7 million against its $50 million budget. This caused theupcomingHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2to be pulled from the release schedule in July, though it did have its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on August 17, 2025.
TheSanta Barbara International Film Festivalhas now officially announced that Kevin Costner’s Western sequelHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2will have its U.S. premiere on February 7as part of their lineup. The 6:00 p.m. screening at the Arlington Theater will include a Q&A with Kevin Costner and will be preceded by a free screening ofChapter 1at 2:00 p.m.
This will be followed on February 13 withan 8:20 p.m. screening of the behind-the-scenes documentaryBeyond the Horizonat the SBIFF Film Center, which will include a Q&A with Costner and the documentary’s director Mark Gillard.
What This Means For Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
A Wider Release Could Come Soon
This U.S. premiere for theKevin Costner moviecould indicate that its rollout is beginning again and that a wider release may follow soon. However,the audience response at its festival premiere may help determine the level of releasethat it ends up getting. While critics gave both movies Rotten scores on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences responded significantly better toChapter 1than critics. IfChapter 2follows that same pattern, the sequel could end up back on track. Below, see how both movies have performed on Rotten Tomatoes so far:
51%
70%
40%
TBD
However, this still leaves the fates of theplannedHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 3andChapter 4up in the air. The former has only been partially filmed while the latter is still in development, sothe critical or commercial failure ofChapter 2following its U.S. premiere could put both titles in jeopardyin spite of Costner’s stated intentions to complete the quadrilogy. Nevertheless, the fact thatChapter 2is finally moving forward in some way, six months after being pulled from theaters, could be a good sign.
Our Take On The Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 Premiere
Its Prospects Could Be Better Than Chapter 1
The fact that the movie has a festival date set could mean that producers have determined that enough time has passed for at-home viewers to findChapter 1after its box office drubbing.Kevin Costner has cultivated an at-home audiencethanks to his starring role in the Taylor Sheridan neo-Western seriesYellowstone, so the 2024 movie may have performed better in that venue. Should that be the case,Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2could have a brighter future, though this does not necessarily mean it will have a robust theatrical run.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
Cast
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 continues the exploration of the Old West, spanning from 1859 to 1874. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, the film delves into the lives of families, friends, and enemies grappling with the nation’s evolving identity.
