Summary
In the wake ofHorizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1’s box office disaster, an Australian epic from 2023 could show Warner Bros. Pictures how to saveKevin Costner’s failedYellowstonereplacement. Costner, who helmed the Oscar-winningDances with Wolvesin 1990, has been working on the script for theHorizonsaga since at least 1988. A passion project for the writer, director, actor, and producer,Horizonwas originally envisioned as a four-part movie series, with the first two chapters scheduled for a back-to-back release this summer. Unfortunately for Costner, that release plan has changed.
As planned,Horizon’s first chapter hit theaters on June 28th. A few weeks into its release, the film grossed a mere $27 million at the global box office against its $50 million budget. Between mixed reviews from critics and an embarrassing box office draw,Costner’s new Western franchise was doomed, pushing New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures to revisit the series' release plan. Currently,Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 2is on an indefinite hold. With its original August release date scrapped, Costner’s vision of a two-part movie event has been dismantled — but there’s still a path forward.
Faraway Downs
Cast
A recut and reimagining of the 2008 movieAustralia, Faraway Downs is a six-episode mini-series that expands on the epic-length film, all done by the original writer-director, Baz Luhrmann. Sarah Ashley inherits the ranch of Faraway Downs after her husband passes away but soon sees her property threatened by a cattle rancher named King Carney. With the help of another Cattle drover, Ashley will fight to protect her home.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, director Baz Luhrmann revisited his 2008 feature-filmAustraliaand discovered heaps of unused footage from the original production. Needing something to work on,Luhrmann decided to recut his epic adventure-romance movie into a six-part limited television seriestitledFaraway Downs. In both versions of the project, Nicole Kidman stars as Lady Sarah Ashley, a well-to-do English woman who travels to Australia to confront her philandering husband and convince him to sell his failing cattle station, Faraway Downs. When she arrives, Lady Ashley is greeted by a cattle drover (Hugh Jackman).
Between a bloated runtime and a derivative, over-stuffed story, Luhrmann’s labor of love was panned…
Hired by Lord Ashley, The Drover transports Kidman’s character to the titular cattle station, where they discover that her husband has been murdered. Between thwarting the conniving station manager Fletcher (David Wenham); moving the cattle across the treacherous Never Never desert; rescuing Nullah (Brandon Walters) — a boy with an Aboriginal mother and white father — from the deadly missionaries; and showcasing World War II and the impending Japanese attack on Darwin,Australiacovers a lot of territory. Between a bloated runtime and a derivative, over-stuffed story, Luhrmann’s labor of love was panned by most critics in 2008.
Faraway Downs Cast & Character Guide
Faraway Downs' compelling romantic drama is brought to life by a talented roster of actors, who are known for starring in several renowned films.
The 2023 Faraway Downs Miniseries Fixed Some Of Australia’s Biggest Problems
Breaking Australia’s Narrative Into Chapters Was A Smart Choice
The director had originally intended to make the Australian version ofGone with the Wind. As such,Australia’s epic scope and ambitious narrative aren’t necessarily surprising, but that doesn’t mean it all comes together well. While the movie grossed a solid $211.8 million, its production budget was a whopping $130 million — thanks in large part to all the on-location filming. AlthoughLuhrmann had intended to create a cinematic spectacle — and a love letter to sweeping, old-fashioned movies— the filmmaker wisely realized that a serialized version of the project would serve the story better.
Faraway Downsuses each of its episodes to highlight a different element of the story…
Broken into six parts,Faraway Downsuses each of its episodes to highlight a different element of the story — from The Drover and Lady Ashley’s romance to the cattle droving drama to the attack on Darwin. Of course, there are somekey differences betweenAustraliaandFaraway Downs. WhileLuhrmann doesn’t do much reordering at all, having the division of episodes makesFaraway Downsmuch more easily digestible. Additionally,Faraway Downs' ending is different fromAustralia’s, with Luhrmann leaning more heavily into the tragedy that often accompanies epic films. Most importantly,Faraway Downsbreathed new life into the story.
Baz Luhrmann’s 7 Best Movies, According to Ranker
Baz Lurhmann has directed several successful movies, ranging from touching romances to stylish musicals. Which is the best according to Ranker?
Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1 Already Bombed At The Box Office
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 continues the exploration of the Old West, spanning from 1859 to 1874. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, the film delves into the lives of families, friends, and enemies grappling with the nation’s evolving identity.
After an abysmal box office performance, Kevin Costner’s ambitiousHorizonwill likely struggle to gain momentum for its upcoming sequels. Like Luhrmann’sAustraliabeing re-edited into the serializedFaraway Downs,Costner’s American epic could benefit from reinvention. At this point, it’s hard to imagine that even video-on-demand (VOD) could boostHorizon’s profile.Horizon: An American Saga 2’s massive release changereiterates that the films' distributor isn’t sure how to navigate future installments of the multipart film series. Still, there’s no getting around the elephant in the room: Costner’sHorizonsaga misstep is a costly one.
…it’s the epic promise of theHorizonfranchise that makesChapter 1’s failure more deeply felt.
Previously, the director and actor’sDances with Wolvesgrossed a staggering $424.2 million at the box office. While his other projects have fallen short of that — and whileKevin Costner’s new Western avoids a horrible record— it’s the epic promise of theHorizonfranchise that makesChapter 1’s failure more deeply felt. At the same time,Rotten Tomatoes scores showHorizondivided audiences and critics, which means it isn’t quite over yet. Whileviewers were less harsh on Costner’s passion project, it also seems like many are waiting for the 181-minute movie to hit streaming.
Horizon: An American Saga Cast & Character Guide
Kevin Costner has been working on his film Horizon: An American Saga for several years, but who are the main plays in the upcoming Western?
Kevin Costner’s Horizon Movies Could Become An Epic TV Event After Yellowstone Season 5
The Filmmaker’s Vision For A Two-Part Summer Movie Event Won’t Happen
While Costner’s vision for a two-part summer movie event isn’t happening, theHorizonsaga could find new life — and a more dedicated audience — if it’s re-cut into a TV series, à laFaraway Downs. Currently,Chapter 2is in post-production and principal photography onChapter 3is well underway. EvenHorizon’s fourth chapter is already in development. Although anything is possible,it seems unlikely that Costner’s four-part Western will get theBatgirltreatment. That said,Horizoncould become an epic television event instead, especially in the wake ofYellowstoneseason 5, part 2’s finale.
…the [Horizon saga] project could fare better with viewers and critics alike [if it’s re-cut as a TV series].
Due in part toHorizonscheduling conflicts, Costner is not returning toYellowstoneas John Dutton in the series' final episodes. For many,Horizonwas always intended to be a kind ofYellowstonereplacement— another Costner-led Western. By recutting the existingHorizonchapters into seasons of television, the project could fare better with viewers and critics alike. Not to mention, one of the biggest complaints aboutHorizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1’s endingwas that it doesn’t provide much resolution. If theHorizonsaga becomes a TV series instead, its many parts wouldn’t need to work as standalone stories.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is set in 1859, following families as they settle in territories from Wyoming to Kansas. The narrative centers around a cowboy on the run with a prostitute and a young boy after a deadly confrontation, exploring the challenges of life in the Old West.
