In 2024, Kevin Costner released the first installment in his Western pᴀssion project, Horizon: An American Saga, and fortunately, those who enjoyed that movie can stream the perfect follow-up series on Netflix. Since the 1980s, Costner has made a name for himself as a notable actor and a strong director. In 1990, he saw incredible success with his Western epic, Dances with Wolves, and more recently, he has earned praise for his role as family patriarch John Dutton in Yellowstone. Costner’s most recent movie endeavor, Horizon, is said to be a project he’s been working on for decades.
Horizon: An American Saga is a film franchise that is meant to be split into four parts. The first part, Chapter 1, was released in June 2024, and earned some traction on streaming, despite mixed critical reviews. At large, Horizon: An American Saga follows a vast ensemble of characters in the American West during the years prior, during, and after the American Civil War. In true Costner fashion, Horizon is concerned with family, survival, and perseverance in the Wild West. Costner himself stars in the movie, while also directing it. For some, Horizon will scratch the Western itch.
American Primeval Is Now Trending On Netflix After Horizon: An American Saga’s Recent Popularity
American Primeval’s Success Explained
Following the success of Horizon: An American Saga on Netflix, a new Western TV series is gaining some much-deserved attention. American Primeval is a 2025 Western TV show that follows a mother and son who are attempting to escape a dark past, and manage to form a found family in 1850s Utah. Meanwhile, conflicts rise due to the Utah War, which sees tension between the Mormon religion and the burgeoning Wild West culture of the state. All in all, the series is a historical and action-packed look into a lesser-known part of American history.
At the moment, American Primeval holds the #1 spot on Netflix’s list of trending TV series. This is impressive considering that the series premiered just days ago, on January 9. Because of its recent release, American Primeval also has very few critical ratings. The show’s Rotten Tomatoes score rests at a 63% with only 38 critical reviews. Yet, even then, American Primeval has garnered strong responses from critics, who call the show brutal and a well-produced character study of the American West. Ultimately, American Primeval never tries to pull punches, leading to a gruesome yet moving series.
Horizon & American Primeval Have Similar Premises – Which Does It Better?
American Primeval’s Success Over Horizon Is Surprising
Clearly, Horizon and American Primeval have a lot in common. Both are Westerns set around the same time period and in the same area of America. Both are epic stories which delve into various different characters and dynamics within a particularly rough period if history. However, it seems as though American Primeval executes this concept better than Horizon has. Where Horizon has been criticized for being confusing and slow-paced, American Primeval has captivated audiences and viewers with an unflinching look at the American West. It seems that the 2025 series has used its time more wisely than Horizon has.
For the most part, this distinction in quality is surprising. Horizon has all the ingredients of a good franchise: a well-known director, a star-studded cast, and money to make big ideas come to life. Meanwhile, American Primeval’s cast is not as popular and its creator, Mark L. Smith, does not have the flashiness of Costner. Yet, American Primeval has a much stronger and cleaner vision than Horizon does. In just six episodes, the series gets across all its big moments, where the first segment of Horizon is simply setting up the story for the rest of the franchise.
One Has 51% And The Other 63% On Rotten Tomatoes – Is Horizon Or American Primeval Worth It?
Why Western Fans Should Keep An Open Mind For Horizon & American Primeval
Based on critical ratings alone, Western lovers may decide to abandon Horizon and American Primeval altogether. Horizon’s 51% Rotten Tomatoes score is quite disappointing for a Costner project, and American Primeval’s 63% isn’t necessarily fantastic. There are certainly other Western projects that are more likely to live up to expectations. Yet, audiences should not give up on Horizon or American Primeval quite yet. Both projects have more to offer in the future.
There are no release dates yet for the remaining Horizon movies.
In terms of American Primeval, this series’ ratings still have time to rise. Having only been out for about a week, the show has not had the proper time to be widely reviewed. In this way, American Primeval’s Rotten Tomatoes score could rise as more people begin to watch it. Similarly, Horizon: An American Saga has not reached its full potential just yet. The franchise is supposed to be composed of four movies, and if Costner is given the chance to release all four, the film series could certainly get better. All in all, Horizon: An American Saga and American Primeval are both Westerns that deserve a solid chance.
