Despite its high $100 million budget, Kevin Costner's "Horizon" had a dismal debut at the box office, barely $11 million. Costner personally put about $38 million into the production; Warner Bros. paid only for distribution, leaving marketing expenses to Costner. Costner is hopeful about the future of the movie despite the disappointing start.

Costner underlined in an Entertainment Weekly interview that opening weekend totals are not crucial. "I've lived with movies and what happens to them on their opening weekend," Costner commented on the day "Horizon" was released. "We will inevitably be disappointed if we place too much strain on that. The fact that "Horizon" resembles what it should seem like makes me very glad since that will be its appearance all of its lifetime. And in this process, that is quite vital to me. He continued, "Would I love that it would be enormously, highly successful? Of course, I would like that. Everybody would appreciate that; my ego would adore that. Still, I am glad the film looks the way I want it to look.

The bad beginning of the movie throws doubt on the viability of the intended franchise. While Costner is currently under production on the third movie, Warner Bros. intends to premiere the second of the four-part series on August 16. How the first box office performance will impact fourth picture plans is not known.

"Horizon" has drawn mostly unfavorable reviews from critics, many of whom point out that its expansive story felt more appropriate for a limited television series than a standalone movie. The film opens with Costner as a lone cowboy tending to a woman in need (Ab Abbey Lee), Sienna Miller as a survivor of a town massacre, and Luke Wilson leading a wagon train among other narratives.