Cinema
The sequel to Kevin Costner’s epic western, ‘Horizon’ hoping for Venice Film Festival hype
Part 2 was scheduled to hit theaters in August, but the box office failure of Part 1 forced a change of plans.
Kevin Costner’s celebrated return to the big-screen hasn’t gone quite as planned. The great epic Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 was, although with divergences, well received by critics, but not by the public, who turned their backs on its marathon slog 181-minute runtime at the box office.
Horizon Part 1 bombs
So, if the first part arrived in June, the disaster caused the release of the second part scheduled for August to be postponed. A plan B had to be thought of, especially considering the size of the project and everything that was at stake. The solution appeared on the horizon in the form of the oldest festival in the history of cinema.
Venice to the rescue
It certainly seems to be the best option. The Venice Film Festival is just around the corner (August 28-September 7), and if it gains prestige in its exhibition, the hype could help sell the film or at least arouse the public’s interest.
Costner is betting everything on Venice giving the sequel the push it needs. Remember that Horizon: An American Saga consists of four chapters (we assume they are very long, given the first one) in which he delves into the origins of his country. This excessive project is co-written, directed, acted and, mind you, produced by Costner himself.
We will soon find out whether Chapter 2 will succeed or not at the Mostra and whether that will give it enough momentum to conquer theaters. The public can often be capricious, but other times, it’s simply that your time has passed.