Kevin Costner was once a golden boy when “Dances with Wolves,” a three hour movie, became a hit and raked in Oscars.
But now he’s known better for really big flops like “Waterworld” and “The Postman.” Both movies were laughably bad, and financial disasters. (Someone told me recently that “Waterworld” has become a cult movie, but it’s a cult I’m not joining!)
Now Costner is aiming for a June 27th release for “Horizon,” a three hour Civil War drama with a price tag of at least $100 million. He put $38 million of his own money into it. Compounding the release is a second film in the series, which will be released on August 16th.
So far, reports say — and I’ve confirmed — that advance tracking isn’t enthusiastic about “Horizon.” Costner is counting on his “Yellowstone” fans coming to theaters, but they may be turned off by the way he fought with the show’s producers, slowed down season 5, and ultimately tanked the whole project.
“Horizon” Part 1 may also be hampered when audiences discover Costner doesn’t appear in the first hour.
Critical reaction isn’t great either. Twenty six critics have chimed in, and the result is a 38% on Rotten Tomatoes.
So the question is, if the first installment fails, will Warner Bros put the second one on Max? And will they even take the as yet unfilmed parts three and four? Much to ponder.
