The third installment in Kevin Costner’s magnum opus, the Horizon: An American Saga franchise, faces an uncertain future, and it’s not clear

if it can survive the first two chapters’ box office woes and delays. Horizon has long been a passion project for Costner. He first commissioned

scripts for the film in the 1980s, and to actually get them made, Costner spent millions of dollars on Horizon. Even Costner’s own money may

not be enough to see the franchise to its end, however, especially after Chapter 1’s lackluster box office performance – it earned just $38 million worldwide, well short of recouping its budget (via Box Office Mojo).

Though Horizon Chapter 1 gained some popularity on streaming, the future of the franchise is still uncertain. The first installment’s worldwide box office gains were low enough to cause a delay in Horizon: Chapter 2, which was originally set to hit theaters on August 16. While Chapter 2 is finished and is supposed to be released sometime in late 2024, neither the first installment’s earnings nor the second’s delay are good signs for Horizon Chapter 3. Even though no one knows if Chapter 3 is still happening yet, Horizon isn’t necessarily done yet, and neither is Kevin Costner.

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3 Is Currently In Early Production

Despite the troubles Horizon has already faced, Chapter 3 is currently in early production. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a few scenes of Chapter 3 have already been filmed, though the bulk of the movie remains unfinished. At the end of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, a montage played with footage of things to come, including a handful of scenes from Chapter 3. While work has started on Horizon Chapter 3, there’s still a long way to go before it is done, and Costner is still seeking funding to finish it.

Kevin Costner Has Admitted Horizon: Chapter 3 Isn’t Guaranteed (But He Is Determined To Make It)

At the Venice International Film Festival on September 7, Costner gave an update about the future of Horizon Chapter 3. Costner admitted that finishing work on Chapter 3 will be difficult, but he remains committed to seeing it happen.

They’re all written. I have to hurry… Now that the rock [fell] back downhill, I have to go put my hands on it again and start to push it up. It’s a rope that I can’t let go [of.] I don’t know how I’m gonna make 3 right now, but I’m gonna make it.

The main challenge facing Chapter 3 is funding. Costner has already put up several million dollars of his own money towards the franchise, but the fact that Chapter 1 failed to recoup its budget could scare off investors. Even if Costner is able to find new sources of funding, there are other hurdles to overcome. Warner Bros. agreed to distribute the first two Horizon movies, but their deal didn’t include the third and fourth installments (via The Hollywood Reporter). Costner may have to find another distributor, though the first film’s streaming success could be enticing to streaming services like Netflix or Max.

Though there is a long road to getting Horizon Chapter 3 finished, Costner seems to have a plan of attack. Costner gave an updated Horizon sequel plan, and he speculated that he may shoot both Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 back to back in the spring of 2025. That plan is, of course, contingent on Costner either securing outside funding or using even more of his own money and other assets to green-light production. Filming Horizon Chapter 3, however, will only solve the first of the franchise’s problems.

Kevin Costner’s Horizon Struggles Won’t End With Chapter 3

Even if Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3 does come to fruition and Kevin Costner is able to finish the film, the franchise will still be in hot water. Costner has planned from the start to make four Horizon films, and it doesn’t seem likely that he would let the story be condensed into three movies. Even if Costner secures funding and a distributor for Horizon Chapter 3, he’ll have to do it all again for Horizon Chapter 4. Given how much of a challenge it has been to make Chapter 3 happen, Chapter 4 is far from a guarantee.

The final fate of the Horizon franchise will essentially come down to Horizon Chapter 2. If the second installment manages to succeed where the first failed, then Costner’s chances of finishing the sequels could look a lot more hopeful. Chapter 2 should also have an advantage over the first, since audiences have been introduced to the world and characters of Horizon. Conversely, Horizon Chapter 2 could suffer from bad word of mouth after the first movie’s poor box office performance. In any case, the only way to know for sure whether Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3 is still happening is to wait.