Kevin Costner addresses scrapped release of 'Horizon 2'

Kevin Costner has broken his silence on the scrapped theatrical release of Horizon 2.

Costner admitted that a cinematic release didn’t happen due to underperformance of the first movie in the franchise.

Speaking to the press at Horizon 2's premiere at the Venice Film Festival, he said of the original movie: “It didn’t have overwhelming success. I’ve had a lot of movies that way, that have stood the test of time.”

He appreciated the fact that scrapping the theatrical release allowed the film to premiere at Venice. 

“For me, it fell back into my plan, which was I always wanted to come out with movies about five-six months apart. And that was going to allow me to come to Venice,” he shared. “I would have never come to Venice, because they won’t show the film here if it was already out.”

He thanked Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera for “bringing this here gave me my dream and didn’t allow it to be squashed,” he said.

The Yellowstone star added that setbacks have only strengthened his plan to make the 3rd movie in the franchise: “Sometimes when things don’t come to us easily, we want to just step away. But there’s something in me that only increases my desire when something is not working,” Costner said.

“It’s a story, it’s a piece of entertainment that I think can stand the test of time. When I feel rejection, unlike anybody else, when I open my eyes from my disappointment, my desire is only increased.”

“I don’t know how I’m going to make ‘Three’ right now,” he said. “But I’m going to make it.”

Kevin Costner's Horizon 2 was initially slated to be released on August 16 but instead premiered during the Venice Film Festival without competition.