Mixed Reviews and Box Office Challenges for Kevin Costner's Self-Financed Film 'Horizon: An American Saga'

United States of America
Costner invested around $38 million into the production and marketing of the film.
Costner is negotiating a deal for a post-theatrical release with a streamer or cable company.
Kevin Costner's film 'Horizon: An American Saga' received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office.
The movie earned $12 million in its opening weekend.
To recoup his investment, 'Horizon' needs to make over $65 million domestically.
Mixed Reviews and Box Office Challenges for Kevin Costner's Self-Financed Film 'Horizon: An American Saga'

Title: Kevin Costner's New Film 'Horizon: An American Saga' Faces Mixed Reviews and Box Office Challenges

Lead: Kevin Costner's latest film, 'Horizon: An American Saga,' has received mixed reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office. Despite investing a significant amount of his own money into the production, Costner is looking for alternative ways to recoup his investment.

Fact 1: The movie 'Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1' earned $12 million in its opening weekend.

Fact 2: Kevin Costner invested a lot of money into the film himself, reportedly around $38 million.

Background Information: Costner, who directed, produced, and stars in the multi-part saga 'Horizon,' had been developing the project for decades. Initially planned for a streaming release on Max or another platform, Costner decided to self-finance not just one 'Horizon' movie but potentially four.

Fact 3: To recoup the $30 million spent on marketing, 'Horizon' needs to make north of $65 million domestically.

Fact 4: Costner is negotiating a major deal with a streamer or cable company for the movie's post-theatrical release, known as 'Pay 1.'

Fact 5: The first installment of 'Horizon: An American Saga' had its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival in May 2024.

Bias: Despite the challenges faced by 'Horizon,' Costner remains optimistic about the project and believes it is a throwback to classic Hollywood with deep characters and rich storylines. Some critics argue that audiences are conditioned by TikTok and other social media platforms to expect quick, short movies, making it difficult for longer films like 'Horizon' to find success at the box office.


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Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • It's unclear if Costner has secured a deal for the post-theatrical release.
  • The exact number of movies in the 'Horizon' saga is not clear.

Sources

94%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

‘Horizon’ Actor Michael Rooker Decries Current State Of Movies, Says Audiences Conditioned By TikTok Have “Gotta Get Over That Crap”

Deadline Hollywood Tom Tapp Tuesday, 02 July 2024 20:28
  • Unique Points
    • Michael Rooker thinks audiences sensibilities have been impacted by TikTok.
    • Rooker believes audiences are accustomed to quick, short movies and need to learn to appreciate real cinema.
  • Accuracy
    • Michael Rooker's latest film Horizon opened to underwhelming box office with $11 million on a budget of $50 million
    • Many people are used to short social media clips and prefer 90-minute movies instead of real cinema according to Michael Rooker
  • Deception (95%)
    The author expresses his opinion that audiences are conditioned by TikTok to expect fast-paced content and are unable to appreciate 'real cinema'. He also makes a statement about the audience's age being the biggest segment for Horizon. These statements can be considered emotional manipulation and selective reporting as they imply that younger audiences, who may be more active on TikTok, are less capable of appreciating good cinema. The author also uses editorializing language such as 'real cinema' and 'that crap'.
    • They gotta get over that crap...They gotta learn what it’s like to watch real cinema.
    • As for Costner juggling his first directing-starring role in 20 years, Rooker said, ‘He is brilliant in this. He’s a brilliant director.’
    • The film actually asks something of its viewers.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (95%)
    The author expresses a clear bias towards older cinema and disdain for modern audiences who are accustomed to shorter films. He uses derogatory language to describe the current state of movies and implies that TikTok is responsible for conditioning audiences to have 'sh*t' taste in cinema.
    • It's real cinema, folks. So be prepared. We ain't used to that sh*t.
      • They gotta get over that crap...They gotta learn what it's like to watch real cinema.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      93%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      'Horizon' Star Michael Rooker Says Kevin Costner Film Is Cinema, Not TikTok Crap

      TMZ Sports Description TMZ Staff Monday, 01 July 2024 00:00
      • Unique Points
        • Michael Rooker believes that Kevin Costner’s new movie ‘Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1’ is a throwback to classic Hollywood and has deep characters and rich storylines.
        • Kevin Costner invested a lot of money into the film himself and there are three more parts coming out, including part two in August.
        • Michael Rooker encourages people to see ‘Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1’ as it is ‘real cinema’ and not ‘TikTok crap’.
        • Kevin Costner's fans of his show ‘Yellowstone’ have not given him significant box office support yet.
        • Michael Rooker has a message for anyone upset about Kevin Costner leaving the show.
      • Accuracy
        No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
      • Deception (80%)
        The author expresses their opinion that Kevin Costner's new movie 'Horizon: An American Saga' is a 'real cinema' and a departure from the 'crap' of TikTok generation. This is an example of editorializing and sensationalism as it goes beyond reporting facts to making judgments about the value of TikTok content compared to traditional films.
        • Michael thinks one of the reasons Kevin’s movie only grossed $11 million last weekend is because folks nowadays are used to short social media clips and 90-minute movies ... not real, quality films with deep characters and rich storylines.
        • Horizon has a 3-hour runtime but Michael says people need to wake up and see the film because it’s real cinema ... not TikTok crap.
      • Fallacies (90%)
        The author makes a dichotomous depiction by labeling 'Horizon: An American Saga' as 'real cinema' and TikTok content as 'crap'.
        • TMZ.com Michael Rooker says folks are sleeping on Kevin Costner’s new movie saga ... telling us the film is a throwback to classic Hollywood and a departure from the ‘crap’ TikTok generation.
        • Michael thinks one of the reasons Kevin’s movie only grossed $11 million last weekend is because folks nowadays are used to short social media clips and 90-minute movies ... not real, quality films with deep characters and rich storylines.
        • Horizon has a 3-hour runtime but Michael says people need to wake up and see the film because it’s ‘real cinema … not TikTok crap.’
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      89%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      How Kevin Costner's 'Horizon' could break even at the box office

      Business Insider Jason Guerrasio Wednesday, 03 July 2024 04:24
      • Unique Points
        • Kevin Costner invested $38 million of his own money into the production and financing of 'Horizon'
        • Costner secured foreign presales for 'Horizon: An American Saga - Chapters 1 and 2', which likely recouped his investment.
        • To recoup the $30 million spent on marketing, 'Horizon' needs to make north of $65 million domestically.
        • Costner is negotiating a major deal with a streamer or cable company for the movie's post-theatrical release, known as 'Pay 1'
        • Costner has produced and stars in the multi-part saga 'Horizon', which includes Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4.
        • The first installment of 'Horizon: An American Saga' had its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival in May 2024.
      • Accuracy
        No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
      • Deception (50%)
        The article provides information on the financial risks taken by Kevin Costner in producing and financing his film 'Horizon'. While it does not outright state that the film is expected to lose money, it implies this possibility by discussing the low opening weekend box office numbers and the high cost of production and marketing. The article also discusses how foreign presales helped reduce some of Costner's financial risk, but there is no clear indication of whether these sales were enough to cover all costs. Additionally, the article mentions that a significant portion of the film's box office gross will go to Costner and his investors, implying that Warner Bros., as the distributor, is not taking on a significant financial risk. This could be seen as an example of selective reporting and editorializing.
        • The former Yellowstone star mortgaged his property in Santa Barbara and invested $38 million of his own money.
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      84%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Costner’s Costly ‘Horizon’ Bites Box Office Dust

      The New York Times Brooks Barnes Sunday, 30 June 2024 09:01
      • Unique Points
        • The movie 'Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1' earned $12 million in its opening weekend.
        • Kevin Costner invested a lot of money into the film himself.
      • Accuracy
        No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
      • Deception (70%)
        The article makes several statements that could be considered deceptive or misleading. First, the author states that 'Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1' was a 'distant third at theaters in North America this weekend.' This statement is not entirely accurate as it does not provide context for how many other films were released that weekend or their box office earnings. Additionally, the author implies that 'Inside Out 2' and 'A Quiet Place: Day One' had stronger-than-expected ticket sales by stating that they generated more than expected domestic ticket sales without providing any context for what those expectations were. Lastly, the author states that prequels are risky and lists several prominent misfires, but does not provide any evidence or data to support this claim.
        • Fans already know what ultimately happens later in the story, making it hard for studio marketers to generate excitement, and prequels often lack the stars who helped make the franchises popular in the first place.
        • The dread-infused prequel ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ also struck a cultural nerve, arriving to stronger-than-expected ticket sales.
      • Fallacies (75%)
        The article contains an appeal to authority by mentioning box office analysts' estimates. Additionally, there is a slight exaggeration in describing 'Inside Out 2' as resonating with moviegoers and being No. 1 for three weekends when it actually held the top spot for one weekend and was No. 1 for three consecutive weekends.
        • The dread-infused prequel “A Quiet Place: Day One” also struck a cultural nerve, arriving to stronger-than-expected ticket sales.
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      95%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Kevin Costner Goes to the 'Horizon'

      The Bulwark LLC Sonny Bunch Wednesday, 03 July 2024 04:26
      • Unique Points
        • Sonny Bunch, Alyssa Rosenberg, and Peter Suderman reviewed Horizon: An American Saga Chapter One on this week's episode.
        • Microsoft AI’s understanding of Fair Use is being questioned in the episode.
      • Accuracy
        • The biggest segment of the audience for Horizon were 55 years old and above (article)
        • Many people are used to short social media clips and prefer 90-minute movies instead of real cinema according to Michael Rooker (other articles)
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication