Kevin Costner Reportedly Eyeing Netflix to Finance Remaining ‘Horizon’ Films”
Could Netflix Bail Out Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ Franchise?
Kevin Costner’s ambitious Western epic Horizon has finally secured its U.S. premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival this February. However, despite this milestone, the future of the franchise remains uncertain. With Chapter 3 currently stalled due to financial constraints, Costner is reportedly hoping Netflix might step in to help fund the remaining chapters.
The actor-director has already invested a reported $100 million of his own money into the four-part saga, with additional backing from private investors. But the disappointing box office performance of Horizon: Chapter 1has made further financing a challenge. That said, the film’s recent strong streaming numbers — first topping the charts on Max and now performing well on Netflix — may offer a lifeline.
According to a source who worked closely on the Horizonproject, Costner is feeling the strain.
“Kevin is good at projecting calm, experience and a generally level head, but behind the scenes the whole Horizon project has been stressful to him financially, physically and even intellectually,” they revealed.
Originally conceived as a streaming series, Horizon was reimagined for theaters following the massive success of Yellowstone, which brought Costner newfound financial leverage and creative freedom. But after the first film’s underwhelming theatrical turnout, Costner is now exploring all available options — including returning to streaming.
The source continued:
“Kevin and his team need it to perform [on Netflix] because right now, Netflix is the only company with deep enough pockets to completely bail him out of the hole Kevin has dug for himself with these movies. It’s a big check to write, but if the first movie continues to do well on Netflix, the expectation is that Netflix could buy the rights to the entire series and take Kevin out of debt.”
Still, this outcome is far from guaranteed. Horizon: Chapter 2 is expected to receive a theatrical release within the next six months. Thanks to the exposure of the first film on streaming platforms, there’s a chance more viewers will be encouraged to experience the sequel on the big screen. A strong showing could reinvigorate the franchise’s momentum and change everything.
However, if Chapter 2 struggles at the box office like its predecessor, Costner may find himself depending heavily on Netflix’s support to keep his cinematic Western dream alive — and avoid it turning into a financial nightmare.
