Kevin Costner is manifesting a different box-office destiny for his Western “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1.”
The writer/director/producer/star of the largely-self-funded feature told Entertainment Weekly that he is not concerned with the opening weekend numbers at the box office, just so long as his four-film vision is released.
“I’ve lived with movies and what happens to them on their opening weekend,” Costner said. “If we put so much pressure on that, we’re bound to be disappointed.”
He continued, “I’m really happy that ‘Horizon’ looks like what it’s supposed to look like, and that’s the way it’ll look the rest of its life. And that’s really important to me in this process. Would I love that it would be highly, highly successful? Of course, I’d like that. My ego would like that; everyone would like that. But I am happiest that the movie that you and I are talking about looks the way I want it to look.”
The interview was conducted before “Horizon” was released in theaters. The film earned $11 million its opening weekend. Its budget is estimated to be in the $100-million range, with Costner spending approximately $38 million of his own money to finance the production.
“Horizon” will be a four-film franchise created by Costner. Warner Bros. is set to release the second on August 16; Costner is in production on the third movie this summer.
Costner was determined to have a theatrical release for both films.
“That’s where I belong,” Costner told IndieWire’s Anne Thompson. “And I also felt that I have to look at things from a monetary standpoint, because I have so much invested, that I didn’t want to throw that window away. But artistically, I thought it should be on the big screen.”
Costner told Thompson that he invested $100 million of his own money for “Horizon” 1 and 2. And he’s just halfway there.
“If I make the fourth one, it will be over [$120 million],” he said. “People don’t know what the reality is. ‘Oh, you know what, I’m happier that these two have been made.’ And then I know by hook or by crook, I’m going to make three. And by hook or by crook, I’m going to make four. The truth isn’t really that important to a lot of people.”
