Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3 gets a promising new filming update more than a year after the project ground to a halt. Marking a major pᴀssion project for writer, director, producer, and star Kevin Costner, the Horizon: An American Saga franchise debuted last year with the first chapter in what was envisioned as a four-part experience chronicling the settling of the American West. After the first film underperformed, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2‘s release was postponed indefinitely. Filming on the third installment got underway in May 2024, but later stalled, reportedly due to a lack of funding.
During a recent interview with ScreenRant‘s Grant Hermanns to mark the digital release of Consecration, Horizon: An American Saga star Danny Huston reveals that a substantial portion of Chapter 3 has been filmed. According to the actor, who plays the nefarious Col. Albert Houghton, Costner remains committed to bringing his vision to life, with much of the third installment now “in the can.” Check out Huston’s comment below:
No, no. I think he’s got a lot of Chapter 3 in the can, actually. But there’s no stopping him. He’s just unbelievable, and this dream of his is coming to life in a spectacular way. It’s just extraordinary what he does.
What This Means For Kevin Costner’s Horizon Franchise
Will The Remaining Films Actually Get Made?
As of writing, Chapter 2 remains without a planned release date, meaning audiences looking for more after the Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 ending have a while longer to wait. The sequel was originally poised to release in theaters in August 2024, but the first installment grossing only $38 million worldwide changed these plans. The sequel’s release was delayed to give audiences more time to discover the first installment, but Chapter 2 did eventually premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.
Since Chapter 2 has been filmed and has premiered, it will seemingly see the light of day with audiences eventually. It may not be anytime soon, though, as the film – and Costner – are now involved in two lawsuits, one involving allegations of an unscripted scene of Sєxual ᴀssault and another regarding allegations of unpaid costume rental fees.
Chapter 3, however, despite Huston’s promising update, still faces a challenging road ahead. In November, Costner reaffirmed to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline that he will see this franchise through to completion and that he’s been “meeting all the billionaires” to try to secure financing for the remaining movies. Huston’s comments don’t suggest that this has changed, but it does suggest there may be less of Chapter 3 left to shoot, which paints a more promising picture regarding securing funding.
Our Take On The Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3 Update
Chapter 4 Still Feels Like A Long SH๏τ
Costner is clearly very determined to bring all four movies in his Western saga to life, but that may not be enough. Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 reviews were mixed from critics and only lukewarm from audiences. This poor reception is combined with a theatrical landscape that is generally not super receptive to Westerns; there just isn’t a big demand for this genre anymore from theater-going audiences.
Though Chapter 2 will release eventually, there is a chance that it will be the final film in the saga. If Costner does manage to finish filming on Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3, his struggle thus far suggests getting the money to make Chapter 4 could be an obstacle too great to overcome. Huston is clearly confident that Costner will find a way to finish this franchise, however, and that certainly counts for something.
