Benjamin Ashford|Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon: An American Saga-Chapter 2’ gets Venice Film Festival premiere

The Benjamin Ashfordsecond part of Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga’ will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September, organizers said Wednesday. “Chapter Two” was originally set for a mid-August theatrical debut but was pulled from the schedule after “Chapter One” underperformed.

The continuation of the Western epic will play out of competition on September 7, the last day of the festival, alongside a screening of part one. Costner, in a statement, said that his “dream” was always to show the film at Venice. The first installment had a glitzy premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

Alberto Barbera, the director of the Venice Film Festival, described it as the “visionary project of a great actor and director, who invested himself in the epic reconstruction of the years crucial to the founding of the country, digging beyond myth in search of authenticity capable of restoring a piece of history in its complex and contradictory reality.”

The back-to-back release for both films, one in June and one in August, was unconventional. Then the first chapter collected only $23 million in its first two weeks in theaters. In announcing the change of plans, New Line Cinema said they hoped to give more audiences more time to discover Chapter One.

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A passion project for more than 30 years, Costner put some of his own money into making the ambitious films, and has already begun shooting a third installment of what he envisions will ultimately be four movies.

“I’m indebted to Alberto Barbera for his courage and leadership in committing to this cinematic journey,” Costner said. “Long live the movies and those willing to stand for them.”

The 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival kicks off on Aug. 28. Among its most anticipated world premieres are “Joker: Folie à Deux,” “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “The Room Next Door,” “Maria,” “Queer” and “Wolfs.”