KEVIN COSTNER SAYS SCRAPPED ‘HORIZON 2' THEATRICAL RELEASE WAS ‘PROBABLY A REACTION' TO FIRST FILM'S BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE: ‘IT DIDN'T HAVE OVERWHELMING SUCCESS'

Kevin Costner spoke on the scrapped theatrical release of his second "Horizon" film on Saturday during its Venice Film Festival press conference, saying that "it probably was a reaction" to the underperformance of the first movie at the box office.

"It didn't have overwhelming success," Costner said of the first film.

"Horizon 2" was a last-minute addition to Venice's lineup, with news coming on July 31 that it would premiere out-of-competition on the last day of the festival. Earlier that month, the U.S. release of "Chapter 2" was scrapped from its planned Aug. 16 debut after the franchise's first installment, which carried a budget of around $100 million, earned only $11 million on its opening weekend.

However, these setbacks have only "increased his desire" to continue with what he intends to be a four-part series.

"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, when I open my eyes from my disappointment, my desire is only increased."

When asked if "Horizon" contains a lesson for the current state of America as it heads into a presidential election, Costner said "it's not a message politically to anyone."

"Horizon is not a message to my country, it's a reminder to my country," he said.

Costner again directs and stars in "Chapter Two," with a returning cast consisting of Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone and Danny Huston. The film continues the events of the first chapter in the epic, which is described as a "multi-faceted depiction of the Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West." In addition to directing and starring, Costner served as a co-writer with Jon Baird ("The Explorers Guild") and produced through his Territory Pictures.

"Horizon" is intended as a four-part series, meaning that two more films are in development. Principal photography on "Chapter 3" began in May and is expected to wrap next year.

"My dream was always to show ‘Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter Two' at the Venice Film Festival," Costner said in a statement when the movie's premiere was announced. "The fact that now they have decided to show ‘Chapter One' earlier in the day and then the world premiere of ‘Chapter Two' that evening shows not only their belief in how the two films work together but their support of a director's vision. I'm indebted to Alberto Barbera for his courage and leadership in committing to this cinematic journey."