Kevin Costner box office flop is now Max’s most watched movie

Kevin Costner’s latest film was a box office flop, but Horizon is finding a second life on streaming, topping the charts at Max.

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 was a serious letdown at the box office when it released in June 2024. The Western epic is a longtime passion project of star and director Kevin Costner, which he had been trying to make since the ’80s.

However, audiences weren’t as enthused. Horizon Chapter 1 only grossed $34 million worldwide against a $100 million budget, which included filming of both Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. Costner himself reportedly put up $38 million for the film.

In light of that dire box office performance, Warner Bros made the decision to delay the upcoming Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2. The film, originally slated for an August 16 premiere, is currently undated.

The strategy was to allow fans who missed the original’s theatrical run to catch it on streaming. That may have been the right call, as it’s now topping the charts on Max.

Star Kevin Costner took to social media to share that Horizon Chapter 1 was the #1 most viewed movie on Max, just beating out Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and 1988’s Beetlejuice, which saw an uptick ahead of its sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

It doesn’t appear that all that watch time has helped the perception much, though, as fans remain divided. New reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are a mix, with some praising Costner as “one of the few directors left who understands how to make a good western.”

Others point out the same issues critics voiced upon its theatrical release, calling out the film’s meandering production and long story development.

Costner, meanwhile, isn’t bothered by the reviews or the box office numbers, telling EW he was happy that the film “looks like what it’s supposed to look like.”

As of this writing, Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2 still has no release date, but it will premiere at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival.

If you’re a fan of Horizon and Yellowstone, you can check out our guide to every Yellowstone cameo in Horizon. You can also check out why we think Yellowstone proves cowboys should cry more and read all about upcoming Yellowstone spin-off The Madison.