Kevin Costner Admits FirstHorizonMovie 'Didn't Have Overwhelming Success' but Trusts It Will Stand 'the Test of Time'

Mar. 15, 2025

Kevin Costner at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival.Photo:Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty

Kevin Costner Venice International Film Festival

Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty

Kevin Costneris speaking candidly about hisHorizonfilm series.On Saturday, Sept. 7, the actor, 69, spoke with reporters at the 2024Venice Film Festival, where he discussed the world premiere of his new movie,Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2, and why its original Aug. 16 release date was scrapped.Costner explained that the decision to delay the second film’s release came down to the performance ofChapter 1, which premiered at theCannes Film Festivalin May and was released in theaters on June 28.“It didn’t have overwhelming success," he said, perVariety, before noting, “I’ve had a lot of movies that way, that have stood the test of time.“Kevin Costner in ‘Horizon.'.Richard Foreman/ Warner BrosCostner went on to explain that the studio behind the film made the “decision” to releaseChapter 2six weeks after the first film’s release, before they backtracked and decided “not” to release it on Aug. 16.The actor’s company, Territory Pictures, and the distributor, New Line Cinema, announced that they werechanging their strategyfor the second film’s release on July 10.Still, Costner noted that he was happy that things turned out the way they did.“For me, it fell back into my plan, which was I always wanted to come out with movies about five-six months apart. And that was going to allow me to come to Venice,” the actor said, according toVariety.“I would have never come to Venice, because they won’t show the film here if it was already out.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Costner added that Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera was “the biggest reason” they were able to show the project at the Venice Film Festival, and he praised him for “bringing this here.”“… [He] gave me my dream and didn’t allow it to be squashed,” Costner said. “F—, Venice keeps coming to my rescue!”The Costner family attends a ‘Horizon’ premiere in Cannes, France, in May 2024.Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via GettyCostner wrote onInstagramon July 31 that the festival’s decision to host the secondHorizonmovie’s premiere and screen the first movie earlier in the day “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. It is with gratitude and excitement that I return to the Venice Film Festival,” he wrote at the time. “Long live the movies and those willing to stand for them.“In addition to Costner,Sienna Miller,Sam Worthington,Jena Malone, Abbey Lee,Michael Rooker, Danny Huston,Luke Wilson,Isabelle Fuhrman,Jeff Fahey,Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella Hunt andJamie Campbell Bowerall costar in the large ensemble across his twoHorizonmovies.The two-timeAcademy Awardwinner additionally said at Cannes in May that he wasactively filmingthe series’ third installment.Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2does not yet have a release date.

Kevin Costneris speaking candidly about hisHorizonfilm series.

On Saturday, Sept. 7, the actor, 69, spoke with reporters at the 2024Venice Film Festival, where he discussed the world premiere of his new movie,Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2, and why its original Aug. 16 release date was scrapped.

Costner explained that the decision to delay the second film’s release came down to the performance ofChapter 1, which premiered at theCannes Film Festivalin May and was released in theaters on June 28.

“It didn’t have overwhelming success,” he said, perVariety, before noting, “I’ve had a lot of movies that way, that have stood the test of time.”

Kevin Costner in ‘Horizon.'.Richard Foreman/ Warner Bros

Kevin Costner in HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA

Richard Foreman/ Warner Bros

Costner went on to explain that the studio behind the film made the “decision” to releaseChapter 2six weeks after the first film’s release, before they backtracked and decided “not” to release it on Aug. 16.

The actor’s company, Territory Pictures, and the distributor, New Line Cinema, announced that they werechanging their strategyfor the second film’s release on July 10.

Still, Costner noted that he was happy that things turned out the way they did.

“For me, it fell back into my plan, which was I always wanted to come out with movies about five-six months apart. And that was going to allow me to come to Venice,” the actor said, according toVariety.“I would have never come to Venice, because they won’t show the film here if it was already out.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Costner added that Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera was “the biggest reason” they were able to show the project at the Venice Film Festival, and he praised him for “bringing this here.”

“… [He] gave me my dream and didn’t allow it to be squashed,” Costner said. “F—, Venice keeps coming to my rescue!”

The Costner family attends a ‘Horizon’ premiere in Cannes, France, in May 2024.Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Annie Costner, Hayes Logan Costner, Kevin Costner, Cayden Wyatt Costner, Grace Avery Costner and Lily Costner depart the Horizon: An American Saga Red Carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2024 in Cannes, France.

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Costner wrote onInstagramon July 31 that the festival’s decision to host the secondHorizonmovie’s premiere and screen the first movie earlier in the day “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. It is with gratitude and excitement that I return to the Venice Film Festival,” he wrote at the time. “Long live the movies and those willing to stand for them.”

In addition to Costner,Sienna Miller,Sam Worthington,Jena Malone, Abbey Lee,Michael Rooker, Danny Huston,Luke Wilson,Isabelle Fuhrman,Jeff Fahey,Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella Hunt andJamie Campbell Bowerall costar in the large ensemble across his twoHorizonmovies.

The two-timeAcademy Awardwinner additionally said at Cannes in May that he wasactively filmingthe series’ third installment.

Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2does not yet have a release date.

source: people.com