"Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2," the eagerly anticipated second chapter in Kevin Costner's grand western epic film series, is set to make its U.S. debut with a splash at the prestigious Santa Barbara International Film Festival, as revealed by The Hollywood Reporter. Having already stolen the spotlight with its world premiere last summer at the Venice Film Festival, this sequel follows hot on the heels of "Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1," which similarly wowed audiences during its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival the previous spring. (At Cannes, Costner delved deep into the making of "Horizon" during a lively, live-recorded session of THR's "Awards Chatter" podcast.)
On February 7th, the Arlington Theatre will host a double feature, screening the first film at 2 p.m., directly preceding the highly anticipated second chapter at 6 p.m. Following the conclusion of the second film, Costner, a beloved Santa Barbara resident who wore multiple hats as co-writer, director, producer, and lead actor, will engage in an insightful Q&A session moderated by SBIFF executive director Roger Durling.
Adding an extra layer of exclusivity, the festival will also showcase "Beyond the Horizon," an intimate behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the journey of bringing the film to life. Scheduled for February 13th at 8:20 p.m., this screening will be followed by a captivating Q&A with Costner and "Beyond the Horizon" director Mark Gillard, expertly moderated by SBIFF programming director Claudia Puig.
Rumor has it that the combined budget for both "Horizon" films soared to a whopping $100 million, with Costner himself contributing a substantial $38 million. However, the first film's somewhat disappointing $38 million worldwide gross cast a shadow over the release plans for the second chapter, raising questions about Costner's aspirations for a third and fourth installment in the series.
