“The first film didn’t achieve overwhelming success,” Costner admitted. “I’ve had many films like that, which have later stood the test of time.”

Costner explained that the original plan was for “Chapter Two” to be released just six weeks after “Chapter One.” However, this was altered due to a studio decision. Despite this setback, Costner saw a silver lining, noting that the change allowed him to showcase “Horizon 2” at the Venice Film Festival. “For me, it worked out as I had always planned to release films about five to six months apart,” he said. “This timing allowed me to come to Venice, which wouldn’t have happened if the film was already out.”

He expressed his gratitude to Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera, praising him for making his dream come true and saving the film from being overlooked. “Alberto bringing this here gave me my dream and didn’t let it be squashed,” Costner said. “Venice keeps coming to my rescue!”“Horizon 2” was added to Venice’s lineup at the last minute, with the announcement made on July 31 that it would premiere out-of-competition on the festival’s final day. Earlier that month, the U.S. release of “Chapter Two” was cancelled following the disappointing performance of the first installment, which had a $100 million budget but earned only $11 million on its opening weekend.

Despite these challenges, Costner’s commitment to the “Horizon” series remains strong. “When things don’t come easily, there’s something in me that makes me want to push harder,” he said. “I believe this story has lasting value. Rejection only fuels my desire to continue.”

Asked if “Horizon” offers any political commentary relevant to the upcoming U.S. presidential election, Costner clarified that it is not intended as a political message. “‘Horizon’ is not a message to my country, but a reminder of the hardships faced during that journey,” he explained.