Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1(2024)

Warner Bros.

R
Rated R for violence, some nudity and sexuality.
3h 1m
- Drama
- Western

Release Date: Jun 28, 2024 | Wide

B-
6.7

Chronicles a multi-faceted, 15-year span of pre-and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American west.

Official Website

Releases

Original Release | Jun 28, 2024

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Box Office Results

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$11,052,561
Total US & Canada:
$29,035,702
Total International
$9,700,000
Total Worldwide:
$38,735,702

Current Showtimes

Your Location or

(U.S. Only)

Director & Top Cast

Kevin Costner
Director

Kevin Costner
Hayes Ellison

Sienna Miller
Frances Kittredge

Sam Worthington
Trent Gephart

Jena Malone
'Ellen' Harvey

Owen Crow Shoe
Pionsenay

Tatanka Means

Taklishim

Ella Hunt

Juliette Chesney

Tim Guinee

James Kittredge

Giovanni Ribisi

Pickering

Danny Huston

Col. Albert Houghton

Colin Cunningham

Chisholm

Scott Haze

Elias Janney

Tom Payne

Hugh Proctor

Abbey Lee

Marigold

Michael Rooker

Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan

Will Patton

Owen Kittredge

Jim Lau

Mr. Hong

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital,Dolby Atmos,12-Track Digital Sound,Dolby Surround 7.1,DTS,Auro 11.1

Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United States

Language: English

Summaries

Plot Summary

In 1859, in the San Pedro Valley, a party of surveyors mark stakes to outline the building of a new town under the eye of two young Apaches. As they work, a war party approaches out from the hills near their camp. Soon after, a traveling missionary named Desmarais searches for Horizon, the town is advertised to have land for all and a place to build a home, a supposed idyllic and safe paradise. An old hermit tells Desmarais that he has passed the town where he crossed the river. Desmarais backtracks and discovers the bodies of the surveying party. He buries the two surveyors and the young boy with them killed by Western Apache as the land is part of the Apache hunting lands. He builds a settlement there.Four years later, in 1863, the Horizon settlement appears to be flourishing, however an Apache raid led by Pionsenay attacks the settlement and kills several residents, including the husband and son of Frances Kitteredge. Local boy Russell flees to alert the United States Army at Camp Gallant, a fortified settlement away from indigenous land. The Army, lead by 1st Lt. Trent Gephardt and Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan, assist the burial of the dead, and the recovery effort of the survivors. Offering them sanctuary at Camp Gallant. Frances and her daughter Elizabeth decide to leave with Gephardt's detatchment, while Russell volunteers to join a group led by survivor Elias Janney and Scalp Hunters led by Tracker to go after the Apache. Gephardt warns the bounty hunters of indiscriminately going after Natives, especially he is aware that scalping is profitable.Frances and Elizabeth adjust to life at Camp Gallant. Gephardt's moral code in not interfering with Indigenous land conflicts with Riordan and their superior Colonel Houghton's beliefs in manifest destiny. Elizabeth befriends several Army soldiers and is heartbroken when they are called off to fight at the Civil War. Frances begins a romance with Gephardt.At his tribe's settlement in the mountains, Pionsenay comes into conflict with elder Tuayeseh over his attacks on the settlers. Pionsenay believes that the settlers will force them out and lead them to war against other tribes, while Tuayeseh believes in co-existence and possible retaliation for Pionsenay's actions. Pionsenay and his men, including one of Tuayeseh's sons, voluntarily leave the tribe to continue their quest.In Montana territory, Lucy shoots James Sykes and flees with her young son Sam; Sykes survives and sends his sons led by Junior and Caleb to go after her. Lucy finds residence in a trading town in the Wyoming Territory where she adopts the name Ellen. She marries businessman Walter Childs and lives with town prostitute Marigold. Marigold attempts to seduce visiting Horse Trader Hayes Ellison for money, before she returns home to care for Sam while Walter and Ellen leave for a sale for land Walter owns. Walter and Ellen realize that the ones seeking to buy the land are coincidentally the Sykes brothers, and Walter is accidentally killed by Caleb when they harass and capture Lucy. Caleb is sent to find Lucy's son in town, where he encounters Hayes. They both go to Lucy's home where Caleb discovers that Sam is located there; Hayes kills Caleb in a shootout. Hayes flees the town with Marigold and Sam to evade Junior. The three settle in an outpost, where a gambler Marigold sleeps with offers her a life of security. Taking up the offer, Marigold leaves Sam with a Chinese immigrant family and abandons Hayes.A wagon trail led by Matthew Van Weyden travels the Sante Fe Trail in pursuit of Horizon. Among the group is British couple Juliette Chesney and Hugh Proctor and the family of Frances' father-in-law Owen. Juliette and Hugh's ignorant mannerisms put them into conflict with the group. Two men secretly watch Juliette while she bathes in drinking water. Van Weyden warns the two men against doing it again.The Scalp Hunters encounter and intimidate an Indigenous man in a gun shop, but Russell, Janney, and the gun shop owner quell the conflict. The hunters discover a Tonto Apache tribe and wait for the group's warriors to depart before they massacre the remaining Apache to Russell's horror.In the East, Land Speculator and Businessman H. Silas Pickering oversees the printing of flyers promoting the town of Horizon, the same posters that appeared earlier throughout the film.

Storyline

Explore the lure of the Old West and how it was won-and lost-through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, embark on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America. — olisilumea