Horizon An American Saga: Chapter 2 Status, Reviews & Where to Watch

Kevin Costner spent fifteen years dreaming up a sweeping Western epic, then poured $38 million of his own money into it. When Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 opened in June 2024, the gamble didn’t pay off at the box office. Now fans are watching the fate of a planned four-chapter franchise hang by a thread, with Chapter 2 stuck in release limbo and an unexpected Netflix revival keeping the saga alive.

Planned Chapters: 4 · Director: Kevin Costner · Chapter 1 Release Year: 2024 · Genre: Epic Western · Stars: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller

The key facts table below summarizes confirmed details about the Horizon franchise, including release dates, budgets, and production specifics.

Is there a part 2 to Horizon: An American Saga?

Yes — but its status remains uncertain. Kevin Costner designed Horizon as a four-chapter epic spanning America’s pre- and post-Civil War era. Chapter 2 exists, has been screened at major festivals, and carries a Rotten Tomatoes critics score of 50% — virtually identical to Chapter 1’s 51% — but it has no confirmed distributor or release date.

Release status updates

Chapter 2 premiered at the Venice International Film Festival on September 7, 2024, and received its U.S. debut at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 7, 2025. Both screenings generated modest enthusiasm; a reviewer for High on Films noted that Chapter 2 “surpassed the first in power, depth, and resonance.” However, festival premieres do not guarantee theatrical distribution, and New Line Cinema pulled the film from its original August 16, 2024, slot following Chapter 1’s poor box office performance.

Cancellation rumors

Reports from multiple outlets suggest that Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have no current plans to distribute Chapter 2 theatrically. Kevin Costner is reportedly exploring other options, including a potential Netflix acquisition, according to What’s on Netflix. Production on Chapter 3 stalled but plans call for a resumption in Spring 2025, with Chapter 4 still in development.

Why was Horizon Part 2 pulled?

New Line Cinema removed Chapter 2 from its August 16, 2024, theatrical slot after Chapter 1 failed to attract sufficient audiences. The writing was on the wall by mid-July 2024, when the studio quietly pulled the sequel rather than risk another underperformance.

Box office performance of Chapter 1

Chapter 1 opened on June 28, 2024, and immediately struggled. It earned a 51% critics score and a 70% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes — respectable with audiences but insufficient to overcome theater counts and opening-weekend momentum. Industry analysts widely labeled it a box office bomb. According to AV Club, Chapter 1’s worldwide gross roughly matched Costner’s $38 million personal contribution — meaning the film essentially broke even on his investment alone before studio losses.

Production and financing issues

Costner self-financed $38 million of the combined $100 million production budget for Chapters 1 and 2. That arrangement gave him unusual creative control but left him exposed financially when the theatrical model failed. With no major studio willing to shoulder additional risk for Chapter 2, Costner’s team reportedly approached Netflix — a path complicated by Chapter 1 originally planned for Max before its unexpected Netflix debut.

Why is Horizon Part 2 delayed?

Chapter 2 was delayed because it had no theatrical home after Chapter 1’s commercial failure — and no alternative distributor materialized quickly enough to meet the original 2024 release window.

Timeline shifts

The original timeline called for Chapter 2 in August 2024, with subsequent chapters following in rapid succession. Instead:

• Chapter 2 pulled from theatrical schedule mid-July 2024
• Venice world premiere September 7, 2024 — a prestigious but non-commercial venue
• Santa Barbara U.S. premiere February 7, 2025 — still no distributor attached
• No confirmed release date as of early 2025

The implication: festival premieres have not translated into commercial interest, leaving Chapter 2 in distribution limbo.

Kevin Costner’s involvement

Costner remains the project’s most committed champion. He shot Chapters 1 and 2 back-to-back, demonstrating his long-term commitment to the narrative. However, his involvement cuts both ways: his star power drew attention but also means the franchise lacks the independent momentum that might carry a smaller production forward without him.

Is the movie Horizon worth watching?

That depends on what you value in a Western. Critics remain divided — Chapter 2 holds a 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes — but the film has its defenders, and audience reception has been warmer than the critical consensus.

Critical reviews

The consensus among critics acknowledges the epic scope and visual ambition while flagging pacing problems. A Rotten Tomatoes critic described Chapter 2 as “prestige TV-like but enjoyable, with ambition and likeability.” BFI Sight and Sound called it “comfort food for cowboy fans” — beautiful vistas and traditional pleasures, albeit with narrative messiness. Screen Rant critic Alexander Harrison offered sharper criticism: “I should be able to applaud Costner’s insistence on theatrically released movies, but after seeing Horizon — Chapter 2, I’m still scratching my head.”

Audience reception

Chapter 1 earned a 70% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, notably higher than its critics score. Chapter 2’s audience data remains limited, but festival attendees at Santa Barbara reportedly responded with more warmth than critics. The film reached #7 on Netflix’s global most-watched chart for the week of December 30, 2024, to January 5, 2025, accumulating 12.4 million viewing hours — roughly 1.4 million views — a solid if unspectacular performance for a theatrical holdout.

Is Horizon: An American Saga chapter 2 on Netflix?

Chapter 1 is on Netflix now. Chapter 2 has not been confirmed for any platform, but Netflix is the leading rumored destination.

Current streaming options for Chapter 1

Chapter 1 dropped on Netflix recently after originally being planned for Max. It reached Netflix’s global most-watched chart within five days of release and held position for at least one tracking week. Whether you’re streaming it tonight or waiting to binge both chapters together, Chapter 1 is currently available on Netflix in most regions.

Chapter 2 availability

No confirmed deal exists for Chapter 2 as of early 2025. Reports suggest Costner’s team is actively exploring options — Netflix acquisition, premium VOD, or Max release in late Summer 2025 — but without an official announcement, the sequel exists in distribution limbo. Festival screenings have not yet translated into a commercial release plan.

The fate of Horizon: An American Saga now rests on whether Netflix — or another streaming platform — decides the sequel is worth acquiring. Chapter 1’s solid streaming performance provides a data point in favor, but theatrical exclusivity deals and Costner’s preferences for big-screen releases add complications. For viewers, the practical choice is straightforward: watch Chapter 1 now on Netflix, and decide whether the saga is worth following if Chapter 2 surfaces on a streaming platform later in 2025.