In the competitive landscape of Hollywood, every release date decision can make or break a film’s box office success. Something that Kevin Costner’s latest project, Horizon: An American Saga witnessed, following its debut alongside the highly anticipated horror-thriller, A Quiet Place: Day One.
With both films released on June 28, Kevin Costner’s movie seemingly found itself on the brink of a significant challenge, beside A Quiet Place: Day One. Opening box office numbers and earnings suggest risk factors awaiting the Western drama due to its lack of audience base, compared to the sequel to John Krasinski’s established franchise.
Kevin Costner’s Risky Release Alongside A Quiet Place: Day One
Despite being familiar with the high-stakes game of Hollywood roulette, Kevin Costner took the risky challenge of releasing his latest cinematic endeavor. Horizon: An American Saga comes out on the same day as the horror sequel, A Quiet Place: Day One. His bold move of letting his Western drama clash with the gripping horror flick seemingly turned into his biggest gamble, considering the risk factors.
When it comes to A Quiet Place: Day One, it approaches audiences as a sequel to John Krasinski‘s successful horror-action thriller, which has already established its popularity among moviegoers. On the other hand, Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga ventures into the territory of a Western drama, a genre that traditionally appeals to a selective demographic compared to horror-thrillers.
Therefore, while Kevin Costner’s star power following his appearance in the western epic Yellowstone might serve as an attractive force for a specific audience segment, the broader appeal of A Quiet Place: Day One comes as a formidable challenge. Further, getting deeper into the box office challenges, early indicators pointed at a million-dollar risk, possibly awaiting Costner’s drama.
Horizon: An American Saga Faces Box Office Challenge Beside the Horror Flick
Early indicators from box office previews and initial numbers for A Quiet Place: Day One, acquired from Variety, suggest a strong start for Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn’s film. After Pixar’s Inside Out 2 led the domestic box office, John Krasinski’s horror sequel is trailing right behind, likely landing in second place. Bagging $22.5M from Friday and preview screenings, the horror movie is now aiming for a $55M+ weekend debut.
Meanwhile, Kevin Costner’s hopeful franchise-starter Horizon: An American Saga witnessed an even quieter place on the Western front, as the drama failed to perform up to its price point on opening weekend. Earning merely $4.1M across Friday and preview screenings, against its $100M production cost, the movie seems to await rather low projections for a three-day opening.
Considering the scenario, it is believed that the momentum generated by John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place franchise pushed Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn’s sequel to score the ongoing buzz, which in return overshadowed Kevin Costner’s Western drama. But more than anything, since Costner’s movie usually appeals to older audiences who aren’t keen on rushing for opening weekends, the issue posed an ominous risk for Horizon: An American Saga’s overall box office performance.
Horizon: An American Saga and A Quiet Place: Day One are running at your nearest theaters.
