Six months after its disappointing box office performance, Kevin Costner’s epic Western, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, has become a hit on Netflix’s global top 10 chart. The film, which explores the expansion of the American West before and after the Civil War, has been receiving millions of views on the streaming platform.
The film, which was greenlit by Warner Bros. Pictures, has been in development for decades, with Costner initially committing to sink $38 million of his own money into the project. The film’s initial release was met with a lukewarm response, grossing just $38.2 million at the box office.
However, with its release on Netflix, the film has become a surprise hit, racking up 12 million viewing hours in its first week, placing it at number 7 on the streamer’s global top 10 chart. The success has come as a relief to Costner, who had faced criticism for the project’s ambitious scope and high production budget.
Costner, who is not only starring in the film but also directing it, has long been a Western icon, thanks to his work in films such as Silverado and Dances with Wolves. He remains committed to completing the four-film saga, despite the first installment’s underwhelming box office performance.
The success of the film on Netflix has given Costner a new opportunity to complete the series, which could potentially be financed by the streaming giant. With further development and production halted on subsequent chapters due to funding issues, the future of the Horizon: An American Saga remains uncertain.
However, the news of the film’s success on Netflix has given fans a glimmer of hope that Costner’s vision for the series may yet be realized. With its rich historical context and sprawling narrative, Horizon: An American Saga has the potential to become a modern Western classic, and it looks like the streamer may be willing to give it the green light to reach its full potential.