Kevin Costner's Western gamble, “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1,” got off to a soft start at the box office, grossing just $800,000 from more than 3,000 theaters on Thursday, according to studio estimates.
Many in Hollywood are closely watching the box office performance of Costner's ambitious and risky “Horizon” this weekend, the first in a planned four-part series that is being financed in part by the star himself.
In addition to Costner, who directs, co-writes and produces as well as starring in the film, the western saga set on the frontier during the Civil War also stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Tatanka Means, Ella Hunt , Abbey Lee, Hayes Costner and Danny Huston.
Before the weekend, analysts had predicted an opening weekend box office take of between $10 million and $12 million in the United States and Canada for the Warner Bros. film, a tepid start. The filmmakers and the studio hope the film's prospects will be boosted by heartland audiences and the older moviegoers who make up Costner's fan base.
Kevin Costner in “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1.”
(Warner Bros. Photos)
Costner walked away from Paramount’s hit TV series “Yellowstone,” created by Taylor Sheridan, to pursue the “Horizon” project he had wanted to make for decades. Costner had already bet on himself when he put some of his own money into 1990’s “Dances With Wolves,” which would go on to gross more than $400 million worldwide and win seven Academy Awards, including best picture and director.
“Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2” is set to hit theaters on August 16.
Paramount Pictures' “A Quiet Place: Day One,” playing on more than 3,700 screens this weekend, made some noise at the box office Thursday night, grossing $6.8 million in trailers. The two previous installments of the franchise grossed $4.3 million and $4.8 million, respectively.
Directed by Michael Sarnoski, who captured attention with “Pig,” starring Nicolas Cage, the new “Day One” is the first film in the “Quiet Place” franchise not directed by John Krasinski. Krasinski, who also starred in the first film, shares a story credit on the new film with Sarnoski, who wrote the script.
The prequel is projected to debut domestically in the range of $40 million to $50 million, according to pre-release audience surveys.
Joseph Quinn as “Eric” and Lupita Nyong'o as “Samira” in “A Quiet Place: Day One.”
(Gareth Gatrell/Paramount Pictures)
The film stars Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn, both new to the series, as the story follows the first arrival on Earth of the alien creatures that attack anything that makes noise.
The weekend winner, however, is expected to be Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” which has proven to be a box office hit. The film should surpass the $1 billion mark this weekend, the first film to do so since last year’s “Barbie.”
