trimaran film waterworld

What Kind Of Boat Is Used In Waterworld?

December 15, 2023

‍ Key Takeaways

• The Waterworld boat is a trimaran with a tri-hull design.
• Its construction demanded meticulous care for durability.
• Its legacy endures as an iconic movie vessel, inspiring maritime and pop culture.

‍ Ever wondered about the boat used in Waterworld? Let’s uncover the secrets of this iconic vessel as we delve into its captivating story.

The boat used in the Waterworld is a trimaran, a type of boat characterized by its multiple-hull design. It comprises a central or main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls that are connected to the central hull through horizontal beams.

As an expert in maritime history, I bring a unique blend of knowledge and insights to the boat used in Waterworld. My expertise allows me to answer the question of what kind of boat was used and to delve into the intricacies of its design and significance within the film's narrative. As such, you’ll gain valuable insights from a knowledgeable source with a passion for boats, cinema, and storytelling.

Table of contents

‍ what kind of boat is used in the waterworld.

When I first heard about "Waterworld," I was captivated by its ambition. The film, directed by Kevin Reynolds, starring Kevin Costner in a post-apocalyptic setting where the earth is submerged in water.

The boat central to "Waterworld" is a trimaran, a type of multihull boat with a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls. This vessel was not just a set piece but a functional craft, intricately designed by VPLP Design’ It was specifically for the film to embody the rugged and self-reliant spirit of the main character, Costner.

The film's portrayal of the trimaran was grounded yet imaginative, reflecting mankind's resilience in an imagined watery future. With its real-world sailing sequences, the boat became almost as much a character as the actors around it.

Two iterations of the trimaran were constructed for the film. A relatively standard racing vessel (surpassed 30 knots in September 1994). This was a fully functional Kevin Costner sailboat for distance shots and is in private hands.

The second one is an effects-laden transforming vessel for closeup shots. This one is at a lake in Universal Studios, Florida.

Now, let’s explore the design, significance, and lasting impression of the Waterworld trimaran.

Design and Concept

The design and concept of the Waterworld Trimaran represented a visionary approach to creating a vessel that was visually captivating and deeply embedded in the narrative fabric of the film.

Collaborating with VPLP Design , a renowned naval architecture firm, Vincent Lauriot Prevost embarked on a creative journey to craft a watercraft that would be both a functional mode of transportation and a symbol of hope in the dystopian world of "Waterworld."

The most striking feature of the Trimaran was its tri-hull design, an unconventional choice that set it apart from traditional watercraft.

This tri-hull configuration had two smaller outer hulls (amas) and a larger central hull (main hull). It was visually intriguing and contributed significantly to the vessel's stability and buoyancy.

In a world where dry land had become a rare commodity, this design choice allowed the Trimaran to navigate the vast expanses of water with confidence, providing a sense of security for its inhabitants.

The towering mast was another distinctive feature that added to the Trimaran's allure. It served a practical purpose by supporting sails and enhancing the vessel's imposing presence on the water.

This design element and windmill blades emphasized the Trimaran's capability to harness the power of the wind. It made the trimaran a formidable and efficient means of transportation in a world where fuel was scarce.

Perhaps one of the most visionary aspects of the Trimaran's design was its unconventional yet practical layout. While it appeared as a vessel of utility, it seamlessly incorporated living quarters, storage space, and essential facilities below deck.

This multifunctional design allowed it to serve as a mode of transportation and as a self-contained community on the water. It became a floating refuge, reflecting the resilience and adaptability of its inhabitants.

Size and Scale

The Trimaran in "Waterworld" was depicted as a massive vessel, which was crucial for the narrative. Its size suggested self-sufficiency and the ability to house a small community of survivors.

This allowed it to carry ample supplies, equipment, and provisions, making it suitable for long journeys and survival underwater near San Diego Bay and parts of the Pacific. The grand scale of the Trimaran emphasized its significance as a central element in the film.

Construction and Maintenance

Building the Waterworld Trimaran for filming and the fictional harsh marine environment required robust construction.

In the real world, a similar vessel would demand meticulous maintenance to ensure the integrity of its triple hulls and the functionality of its previously hidden mast system.

The filmmakers' commitment to maintaining the vessel's appearance and functionality reflected its importance as a central element of the film's world.

The Waterworld Trimaran was not just a backdrop; it was a dynamic character in its own right, and its proper care and maintenance were essential to ensure its seamless integration into the film's narrative. This video illustrates the Trimaran’s robust construction.

In-Film Role and Symbolism

In the movie "Waterworld," the Trimaran transcended its role as a mere vessel; it became a central character intimately linked with the survival and identity of the Mariner, portrayed by Kevin Costner.

This remarkable watercraft served multiple crucial functions throughout the narrative, going beyond its role as a mode of transportation.

Firstly, the Trimaran provided shelter in a world where dry land had become scarce. It symbolized the mariner's lifeline, offering him a safe haven from the dangers of the waterlogged world.

Its living quarters became a refuge, not just for the mariner but also for the hope of finding a place to call home.

The Trimaran's mobility was essential for navigating the treacherous seas and exploring the vast, flooded landscapes. Its agility mirrored the mariner's adaptability and resourcefulness in this harsh environment.

Furthermore, the vessel served as a formidable defense mechanism, protecting the mariner from the threats of pirates and the notorious smokers led by Dennis Hopper. It was a symbol of resilience, allowing the protagonist to confront adversity head-on and overcome the odds.

Legacy and Influence

The Waterworld Trimaran boat has left an enduring legacy, profoundly influencing both maritime enthusiasts and filmmakers alike. Its unique design, blending form and function, has captivated the imagination of those within the maritime community and beyond. It has influenced the community in the following ways:

Influence on Boat Design

Trimaran's tri-hull design, towering mast, and practical layout have inspired boat designers to push the boundaries of conventional maritime engineering. The idea of a versatile vessel that seamlessly combines self-sufficiency with speed and stability has prompted real-world adaptations.

Today, we see trimarans that borrow elements from the Waterworld Trimaran, particularly in terms of hull design and innovative modifications for extended voyages.

Impact on Storytelling

In the world of storytelling, the Waterworld Trimaran has set a precedent for the use of unique vessels as pivotal plot elements. Filmmakers have taken inspiration from its role as a character within the narrative, symbolizing resilience and hope in the face of adversity.

This influence is evident in subsequent films and media where distinctive boats or ships play central roles in the storyline.

Real-World Application

The Waterworld Trimaran, although originally conceived for cinematic storytelling, possessed notable real-world applications that set it apart from competitive racing trimarans.

While its core features, including speed and stability, shared similarities with racing trimarans built for water sports, it was the additional modifications that made it stand out and hinted at its potential for practical use.

What truly distinguished the Waterworld Trimaran were the modifications designed for self-sufficiency and extended habitation. These included living quarters, storage spaces, and facilities necessary for sustaining life on the open sea.

These features showcased a level of versatility rarely seen in racing-oriented designs, suggesting a broader range of applications beyond the racecourse.

Additionally, the Trimaran's innovative modifications highlighted the potential for adapting such vessels to real-world scenarios, such as extended voyages and exploration missions.

Its ability to combine speed and stability with self-sufficiency demonstrated how maritime engineering could evolve to meet the demands of long-term habitation on the water.

Comparisons of the Waterworld Trimaran to Other Watercrafts

The mariner’s Trimaran, a marvel of post-apocalyptic engineering, has left an indelible mark on the imaginations of moviegoers and maritime enthusiasts alike. Its distinctive design and formidable presence make it a standout vessel in the world of film.

However, to truly appreciate the trimaran's exceptional attributes, it's essential to place it in context alongside other types of watercraft.

We’ll compare it with various vessels to highlight key differences, showcasing how this fictional creation stands out in the realm of maritime innovation.

To help you visualize how the Waterworld trimaran compares to other types of vessels, here's a table highlighting key differences:

Sailing Through Pop Culture: The Enduring Influence of 'Waterworld' Boat Designs

When I dive into pop culture, few things have the lasting impact of iconic movie props, especially those central to a film's theme, like the trimaran used in 'Waterworld.' It's more than just a vessel; it symbolizes adaptability and ingenuity in a dystopian future.

In my journey through cinema history, this unique boat has stood out for its design and how it has influenced media and merchandise. Let’s explore the influence of the Trimaran on pop culture.

Influence on Popular Media

The trimaran and the post-apocalyptic vibe of 'Waterworld' have had a palpable influence on other media, sometimes echoing the desolate yet adventurous feel found in the 25th-anniversary retrospectives of the movie.

Video games, especially those set in dystopian futures, often feature vessels and settings reminiscent of the film’s unique maritime environment. Many of these creations offer a nod to the rugged survivalist spirit embodied by 'Waterworld's' trimaran.

Merchandise and Spin-Offs

Merchandise from Waterworld, including lavish collectibles, has sailed into the hands of eager fans. Over the years, limited-edition models of the trimaran have become prized possessions.

The introduction of spin-offs has further fueled the demand for related products. For instance, video games set in the "Waterworld" universe have allowed players to immerse themselves in the post-apocalyptic world and interact with the iconic Trimaran.

These games have often featured the vessel as a central element of gameplay, emphasizing its significance in the franchise.

Moreover, intricate sailing ship models, not limited to the Trimaran alone, have gained popularity among fans. These models offer a hands-on experience, allowing enthusiasts to recreate film scenes or embark on imaginative adventures within the "Waterworld" universe.

Fan Community and Continued Interest

The legacy of 'Waterworld' resonates deeply within its vibrant fan community. Enthusiasts celebrate the film through fan events, analyze it on social media, and keep the conversation going through forums.

This continued interest is a testament to the cultural footprint of the film's maritime themes and the boat that made navigating a waterlogged Earth possible.

This article may contain affiliate links where we earn a commission from qualifying purchases. The images and content on this page may be created by, or with the assistance of, artificial intelligence, and should be used for entertainment and informational purposes only.

About THE AUTHOR

Brian Samson

I have a deep love of houseboating and the life-changing experiences houseboating has brought into my life. I’ve been going to Lake Powell on our family’s houseboat for over 30 years and have made many great memories, first as a child and now as a parent. My family has a passion for helping others have similar fun, safe experiences on their houseboat.

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After Florence Arthaud’s victory in the 1994 Route du Rhum on the trimaran Pierre 1er , VPLP was commissioned by Universal to design and build the boat used by the main character played by Kevin Costner in the film Waterworld . 

In fact there were two versions of the boat. One was fully operational and used for the sailing sequences at sea. It had a maximum speed of about 15 knots. The other version was used for filming above and below deck, in particular for shots requiring special effects, and it was fitted with numerous gadgets including a telescopic mast for taking 360° views.

Both versions were 60 feet long and laid up in the moulds of Pierre 1er at the Jeanneau Techniques Avancées yar under the direction of Bruno Belmont who would go on to be Lagoon marketing director. The boats were shipped to Hawaii by cargo plane. The working trimaran was subsequently sold to American sailor H. L. Enloe who would later skipper her in numerous races and regattas. Waterworld was evidently a unique experience for the firm, adding Hollywood movie star Kevin Costner to the long line of famous mariners who have skippered boats designed by VPLP.

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Waterworld Trimaran

Discussion in ' Multihulls ' started by big-boss , Mar 25, 2008 .

big-boss Junior Member

I am a new guy-been looking on for a week or so finally signed up. I want to build an ocean going trimaran like the one in waterworld. Is there any plans on something like that? Do I need to commision a designer? Be gentle on me please. I have built about everything but a boat. I have built a Kirkham Cobra (latest project) to bridges, tilt-up buildings,prisions, etc. I am a civil engineer, contractor and a craftsman. I want to do this.  

alan white Senior Member

Hi Big Boss, If I were you, I'd start with a rowboat for kids, maybe something made of underlayment plywood. Just kidding! A friend of mine told me that Waterworld tri was modified and filmed in Hawaii--- his daughter worked on the film. I know nothing more but wish you luck finding the designer. Alan  

RHough Retro Dude

big-boss said: ↑ I am a new guy-been looking on for a week or so finally signed up. I want to build an ocean going trimaran like the one in waterworld. Is there any plans on something like that? Do I need to commision a designer? Be gentle on me please. I have built about everything but a boat. I have built a Kirkham Cobra (latest project) to bridges, tilt-up buildings,prisions, etc. I am a civil engineer, contractor and a craftsman. I want to do this. Click to expand...

I know what an ORMA 60 is- I have MAPQUEST just like you guys! I want to make one. I do not know what "stock plans" are, though. Where do you get them? Thanks again.  

big-boss said: ↑ I know what an ORMA 60 is- I have MAPQUEST just like you guys! I want to make one. I do not know what "stock plans" are, though. Where do you get them? Thanks again. Click to expand...

Munter Amateur

If you're keen on the "slightly rough" look, google an aluminium tri named "Tin Can". I hear you might be able to get that boat pretty cheaply and its only a few hours north of you... Seriously - if you want a big tri like that you'd be far better off buying a second hand one. The construction is pretty complex and there are nicely depreciated ones that can be picked up for not too much money. Beware the operating costs and hassle factor of a boat that size though. skimping on maintenance could be expensive in the long run and dangerous.  

Waterworld In 1994, Jeanneau Advanced Technologies (JAT) who produced the Lagoon range of catamarans, manufactured two specialist trimarans for the Kevin Costner film Waterworld. The film provided exposure of the fantastic designs of Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prévost as well as Jeanneau craftsmanship to a worldwide audience. The trimaran is a specialist replica of Florence Arthaud's "Pierre 1er" (Lakota), and was able to sail at speeds reaching 33 knots. Click to expand...

yipster designer

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=10300&highlight=Waterworld http://www.sailinganarchy.com/YD/2003/orma.htm  

Thanks guys. I have been following the "tin can" When I first saw it I knew where it would fail- I was right. To me it is obvious-had the welding been better he would have simply been out farther before failure, IMO. I do understand the pint the guy is trying to make, I hope he does.  

Chris Ostlind Previous Member

Yes, there were two Waterworld tris. One went to somewhere in Florida last I heard and the other was completely refitted and is living in San Diego, going by the name of LoeReal. I found this page that looks at the boats in question, though the material is not up to date with photos. http://www.geocities.com/mariner767/index.html Attached below is shot of the way she looks in current racing trim Chris  

Attached Files:

Loereal.jpg.

After a little studing after your ideas- Damn that ORMA 60 is a big boat. I knew what it was before but after you comments I now understand waht I was seeing. I will be down south next month I will have to poke around and see if I can at least see one. Is there a boat that looks like that in a 40ft? What is the 39ft Ferrier (spelling?) like. Seems easy enough to build. Is it fast? THanks again. "Why start small? - When you can start big!"  

If you are really serious about a 40' trimaran and have the desire to learn how to build, then you should talk with naval architect, Jim Antrim in the SF Bay area. He's a world class designer of incredibly fast multihulls with several offerings in the size range you mention. Here's his website showing the trimarans: http://www.antrimdesign.com/trimarans/ The 40' Zephyr, shown below, will absolutely give you the thrill you seek Chris  

Good call Chris. If it were me and I didn't care much about cruising ... I'd see if a F40 Tri could be had for cheap. That would be a lot of bang for your buck. The F-39 is on my medium list, I like Farrier's stuff to a point and it is the biggest folder around. I think 45-50 is a better bet for a dual purpose racer/cruiser but that is a odd size, everything is either too full race for and old man to take his wife cruising on or too full cruise to make the thought of sailing fun for me. For a WaterWorld type boat Antrim would be hard to go wrong with.  

jamez Senior Member

Kurt Hughes has a bunch of Tri designs in the c. 40' range. They range from a formula 40 to cruising tris with various levels of accomodation. http://www.multihulldesigns.com/stock/f40tri.html http://www.multihulldesigns.com/stock/40tri_rapid.html  

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Dick Newick's Ocean Surfer is nice too. Bit more solid than a F40. http://www.wingo.com/newick/oceansurfer.html  

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Dangerous when wet: Inside the tumultuous times of Waterworld

Fish gotta swim. Birds gotta fly. Kevin Costner's gotta play the hero.

This article originally appeared in the July 14, 1995 issue of Entertainment Weekly.

Wind. Water. Costner.

He’s soaked, greasy hair brushing his shoulders, grimy face looking grim. He clings to the sail for life as his craft rips the ocean. Before him: safety, the atoll, a great floating fort. Behind him: villains on Jet Skis, beating the waves. A nightmare army. Gaining fast.

In a few weeks, Waterworld — the most expensive movie in history — will finally arrive in theaters nationwide. But on this June day, at high noon, it’s playing on just one screen — inside the Todd-AO recording studio in Los Angeles. The orchestra, 102 strong, obeys the twitches of a single skinny baton, itself a slave to the regiment of numerical subtitles fluttering at the bottom of the picture. It’s one of the first scenes moviegoers will witness in Waterworld . As Costner outwits his speedy nemeses and navigates his craft toward home, the music swells. The real Costner — who has been watching from a control room at the back — stands up, and his grin crescendos with the score. He points dramatically — heroically — over the orchestra. He says nothing.

A few minutes later, over lunch at a quiet middlebrow restaurant near the studio, Costner is talking a blue streak. And he’s not smiling. For weeks, he has been caged in editing rooms, trying to make sense of the sometimes thrilling, sometimes sprawling Waterworld footage, racing toward a July 28 release date. He’s the star of the show, a producer, and now — in the wake of some brutal battles fought during production — an investor in the film and its surrogate director. “I’m not doing this because I love this,” he says. “I really wanted to be in the mountains fishing this summer and hunting. I did not want to be in the editing room when the sun is shining. That wasn’t my job. It wasn’t something I signed on for. I didn’t want it. I don’t know how to make that any clearer.”

How has it come to this?

The answer will explain how Waterworld gobbled up a record budget and generated a record amount of ink on, variously, reports of the volatile Hawaiian weather that plagued the production, rumors that an on-location affair led to Costner’s decision to divorce while filming last October, gossip about the runaway cost — estimated conservatively at $160 million, liberally at $180 million. Even The Wall Street Journal hit the pool, announcing — quel scandale! — that there were no bathrooms on the atoll set.

The answer will also explain how the film began without a finished script and finished off, perhaps once and for all, the star’s historically rocky 10-year friendship with his director, Kevin Reynolds, who jumped ship after Costner took over editing duties. “In the future, Costner should only appear in pictures he directs himself,” says Reynolds. “That way he can always be working with his favorite actor and his favorite director.”

Kevin Costner. Savior or scoundrel? Depends on whom you ask. Either way, he’s suffering. It’s hard to feel sorry for Oscar-winning movie stars who are said to cheat on their wives and betray their friends, and Costner knows it. But he seems to see himself as a hero, on screen and off; the bodyguard, carrying Whitney Houston — and now Waterworld — to safety. So here he sits in his torn jeans and white polo shirt, at a patio table, patiently telling his story. “All I know is that I’m going to work every day trying to fix problems, trying to make a movie for people spending seven dollars to go see and enjoy,” he says. Costner isn’t the only Waterworld player who wants to set the record straight. Talk to producer Chuck Gordon and he’ll tell you two things:

(1) That the budget on the movie had already been upped to $100 million by the time shooting began in Hawaii on June 27, 1994. “This movie’s been picked on because it’s so over schedule and over budget, because everybody thinks we started out at $65 million.”

(2) “There were bathrooms all over the place!”

Yet no one has fully explained exactly why such an expensive film was not only greenlit, but greenlit at a budget destined to be left in the dust, on a 96-day shooting schedule that everyone involved knew was unrealistic, and even, as costar Jeanne Tripplehorn puts it, “without a script — without a locked-in script.” Some speculate that MCA/ Universal’s executives were afraid to tell their estranged Japanese bosses at parent company Matsushita how much the film would cost; others say they dove into Waterworld in order to scare Matsushita out of the business (Matsushita sold the studio to Seagram’s Edgar Bronfman Jr. this April for $5.7 billion). Tom Pollock, chairman of the MCA Motion Picture Group, pooh-poohs both rumors. “We believed at the time that the movie could be made for just under $100 million,” he insists. “I thought it was a good bet. Do I believe that the movie, at this price, will make money? I don’t know. I think it can.”

Waterworld ‘s byzantine history began nearly a decade ago in the fertile brain of a 1983 Harvard graduate named Peter Rader. In 1986, Rader, an aspiring director, was summoned for a meeting at New Horizon, the production company of noted schlockmeister-director Roger Corman. “Listen,” Rader says he was told by a young executive named Brad Krevoy, “I got some South African money, and they want to do a Mad Max rip-off. If you write it, I’ll let you direct it.”

Recalls Rader: “There seemed to be two moral questions. One, would I be willing to take South African money? And I answered that in, like, five minutes. ‘For a chance to direct? Sure!’ The second question was, was I willing to do another Mad Max rip-off? On that I put my foot down. At that point all the B-movie companies were doing post-apocalyptic road movies. Crappy movies.”

But Rader arrived at his next meeting bright-eyed and hopeful. “I’ve got this brand-new spin,” he pitched. “What if we set the entire thing on water?”

“Are you crazy?” Krevoy snapped. “A movie like that would cost us $5 million!”

Krevoy passed — and went on, years later, to produce Dumb and Dumber . Rader decided to write the script on spec. In 1989, Lawrence Gordon’s Largo Entertainment purchased Waterworld for a price in the mid-six-figures and asked for rewrites. There were seven drafts over the next two years.

Then, in 1991, a miracle happened. Costner phoned Lawrence Gordon’s brother Chuck, who had a production deal with Largo. “What’s this thing called Waterworld ?” Costner asked. Gordon sent him the screenplay, and Costner called to say he was interested.

Within days, Kevin Reynolds called: “What ever happened to that project Waterworld ?”

“Funny you should mention it,” Chuck Gordon told him, “because a giant movie star is interested in doing it.”

Reynolds and Costner had already met.

Sixteen years ago, Kevin Reynolds, now 45, was a golden boy, the son of a prominent Texas family. (His father, the stern, imposing Herbert Reynolds, recently retired as president of Baylor University.) At USC film school, Reynolds’ student film had so impressed Steven Spielberg that he produced Reynolds’ 1985 feature debut, a well-reviewed but little-seen road comedy called Fandango . Reynolds auditioned Costner, now 40, for the movie, gave him his first starring role, and they hit it off. They shared a taste in movies — “epics,” says Reynolds, “things that told a personal story against a big backdrop” — and came from similar backgrounds. Both are principled — some would say stubborn — men who like to have their way with their vision of a film.

When Costner was making his directorial debut on Dances With Wolves , Reynolds stepped in to help with some of the more complicated scenes — though when Costner accepted his 1991 Oscar as Best Director, Reynolds wasn’t among the 15 people he thanked. Still, in his first flush of superstardom, Costner hired Reynolds to direct Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991). Then their relationship went sour. They played creative tug-of-war over Costner’s insistence on trying an English accent, and squabbled over script and editing changes. Costner reportedly wanted less of the villain, played with scenery-chomping delight by Alan Rickman, and more of the hero, himself. Foreshadowing Waterworld , Reynolds walked off the film during the editing process. The two stopped speaking.

“I’m not interested,” said Reynolds when Gordon disclosed the identity of the giant movie star who had set his sights on Waterworld . Costner also balked. “I’m not going to do it,” he told Gordon. “But I really think [Reynolds] is the right guy to direct the movie.”

Lawrence Gordon finally persuaded the two Kevins to meet in Lake Tahoe, where Costner was shooting The Bodyguard . There they resolved their differences — “I thought we did,” says Costner — and agreed to try working together again. Costner went on to produce Reynolds’ next project, the disastrous Easter Island adventure Rapa Nui , released by Warner Bros. in a now-you-see-it-now-you-see-it-on-video fashion. Costner the actor kept busy in A Perfect World , Wyatt Earp , and The War , which grossed a respective $31 million, $25 million, and $16 million. The two men began Waterworld unaware that by the time it wrapped, they both would need a hit.

Reynolds, Costner, and Gordon’s first order of business was to overhaul Rader’s script. They kept his basic concept — a future in which the polar ice caps have melted and the earth is underwater. Reynolds put gills on the Mariner (Costner’s character), one of the first human beings to mutate and adapt to this wet new world, while Costner pushed for him to be something more than a standard action hero. So he became a grizzled loner reluctantly saddled with a beautiful woman and her adopted daughter, whose tattoo of a map to dry land makes her a target of the villainous Deacon and his army of “smokers,” so named because they possess a dwindling supply of oil.

A series of screenwriters began work on the script, though only Rader and David Twohy ( The Fugitive ) will get credit. Early on, the old conflicts between Costner and Reynolds resurfaced. “Kevin Reynolds saw this as a movie that could redefine ’90s action,” says Marc Norman, who composed three drafts of Waterworld . “Costner also wanted that kind of action, but not at the expense of character.”

Reynolds had planned on polishing the script further before shooting. But Costner — worried about the June 1994 start date — took it into his hands, ordering his own writers to work on it. “This character has to be unique,” he says, “and to do that, you have to have scenes that are unique and interesting, and show behavior where you’re willing to follow the guy through the movie. Those things weren’t there.” But Reynolds claims Costner took control of the script when they “were still months away from shooting.”

“Kevin [Reynolds] said, ‘If you were director, would you let somebody do what you’re doing right now?’ ” Costner recalls. “And I said, ‘No, but I wouldn’t be in this position.’ ”

The rumbling continued right into production, with Costner grousing that Reynolds “passively-aggressively” sat back and never followed the studio’s orders to trim a costly first-act scene in which the atoll is attacked. Reynolds says the complaint was “totally unfounded. Costner was in control [of the script] at the time.” Indeed, Costner ultimately hired writer Joss Whedon (a script doctor for Speed ) to work under his orders during production.

Crags of black lava line the way to Kawaihae Harbor on the island of Hawaii, where most of Waterworld was shot. There, bits of white coral and shells remain, fashioned into messages that bear witness to the production: “We love The Bodyguard ,” they proclaim, and “Kev C. We Love U.”

Production designer Dennis Gassner had scouted locations in Australia, New Zealand, Malta, and the Bahamas before deciding to dock in Kawaihae Harbor. The locale offered manageable fax and phone lines as well as flights to Los Angeles. In return, the mammoth production pumped fuel into a community still depressed over the closing of a sugar mill, providing work for nearly 300 extras (who were queried at casting calls, “Will you do nudity?” and “Do you have a pet?”). Had Gassner asked the natives, however, he would have learned that Kawaihae means “warring waters.”

What may have been the first recorded overrun occurred in March, when Ginger Peterson, a local hire who served as a location manager, met with Gordon. “He saw my BMW,” she recalls, “and joked, ‘She’s being paid too much.’ ” As Gordon swung open the car door, a gust of wind blasted it loose. “It caused $1,600 in damages,” says Peterson.

Sixteen hundred dollars. Sounds quaint, no? Waterworld ‘s final overrun tab could have bought her about 4,000 brand-new BMWs. Relatively minor thefts (computers and generators) added to the tally. So did contractors, who gouged the production for everything from steel supplies to portable toilets. “Companies knew they were the only games in town and took advantage,” says Peterson, whose finger-pointing earned no friends in the community. (She relocated after the shoot because, says one local, “she would have been lynched if she’d stayed.”)

In May 1994, the cast joined the 500-plus crew on the island. Jeanne Tripplehorn ( The Firm ) would play the role of the Mariner’s sexy atoll passenger. Tina Majorino, 10, the achingly cute costar of Corrina, Corrina, beat out Oscar winner Anna Paquin as the tattooed tyke. Dennis Hopper signed on as the Deacon after shooting began.

Throughout June, Waterworld ‘s crew constructed the trimaran — the Mariner’s swift, sleek, 60-foot-long sailing vessel (two were built, costing at least $500,000 each); a floating “slave colony”; and the atoll, a doughnut-shaped jumble of metal that would become a metaphor for the gargantuan production itself. Its eight sections included the morbid organo-barge, in which dead Waterworld residents are buried in muck and recycled as fuel. Originally budgeted at $1.5 million, the atoll, constructed of 1,000 tons of steel, ultimately weighed in at $5 million.

With the tally rising, Universal could have considered pulling the plug. By then, however, the producers were in it for about $20 million, mostly because the actors’ pay-or-play deals had kicked in. So on June 27, 1994, the adventure began. “The winds were terrible,” says one crew member. “Some days we couldn’t shoot at all.” Shots were often ruined by other boats on the horizon, and angles from inside the atoll sometimes caught glimpses of mountains in the distance — a Waterworld no-no. An effects crew, operating in an expensive postproduction crunch, had to correct the glitches by computer.

For their troubles, the extras got a lesson in the price of showbiz glamour. “We were tripping over cables,” says Sonny LaRosa, 53, who quit after six weeks. By the time the production was in full swing, the medics were treating 40 or 50 employees a day. At least the suffering was democratic. Nearly everyone got seasick, including Reynolds, who as a young man had attended the Texas Maritime Academy before discovering he “hated the sea. I vomited my way across the North Atlantic.”

“I threw up,” says the intrepid Majorino, “but not in front of anybody.” In addition, along with Tripplehorn, she endured being dumped from the trimaran and run over by it. “They were a little shaky for a while,” says Reynolds, “but they were real troupers.” Majorino was thrice taken ashore with jellyfish stings (which were treated with meat tenderizer), thus earning her the nickname “Jellyfish Candy” from Costner. As for Tripplehorn, “I was feeling a little like Patty Hearst. I was just completely brainwashed by my captors and I was just out there trying to get through it.”

Even the hero wasn’t immune to mishap. He spent two hours strapped high on the trimaran’s swaying mast for the benefit of a helicopter shot. “I’ve read about The Twilight Zone and every f—ing thing else,” he says of the notorious 1982 accident that killed actor Vic Morrow and two children. The mere recollection of the shot turns him cranky. “The helicopter was about 20 feet away from me.”

“Back the f— up!” Costner yelled. Drowned out by the roar of the helicopter, he frantically waved the pilot away. They got the shot, but as the boat turned around, a fierce gale blew up. “I don’t know what the reason was, but we had purposefully gone out to one of the windiest channels in the world,” says Costner, who was stranded, white-knuckled and lashed to the mast, for half an hour. Gordon laughs now, but tries not to. “He was not happy,” says the producer, who was safe on shore.

No one, however, is laughing about Norman Howell, Costner’s stunt double, who suffered a near-fatal embolism during a deep-sea dive while filming. Flown on Costner’s jet to a hospital in Honolulu, he recovered in a decompression chamber, and returned to work in a few days. “He was lucky,” says Gordon quietly.

The two Kevins eased into a truce following the script squabble, and their relationship throughout production was “tolerable,” says Reynolds. “Strained sometimes, but overall, pretty civil.” Now, however, it was Universal’s turn to make noise.

For one thing, high-profile crewmembers kept leaving. Peter Chesney, the designer who helped create the atoll’s elephantine gates, was reportedly forced off the set in August, along with effects liaison Kate Steinberg. Gone by Labor Day was frustrated first assistant director Alan Curtiss, who production sources say had tried to convince the studio from the start that the picture couldn’t be finished in the 96 originally scheduled days. Curtiss thought it needed 135; it eventually took 166.

By the time Curtiss quit, Waterworld ‘s budget had risen to $135 million, and a production that was supposed to end before the October hurricane season had no end in sight. Around that time, Costner’s agent, Michael Ovitz, MCA president Sid Sheinberg, Pollock, and Universal president Casey Silver powwowed in Hawaii. Their marching orders: Start trimming expensive scenes. Costner said no. “But I’ll participate on some level,” he told them. “I’ll let you know I give a s—.”

In order to keep Universal from forcing draconian cuts in the script, Costner reached into his own pocket: He agreed to forfeit his 15 percent cut of the gross receipts, which was to have been piled on top of his $12.5 million fee. (His cut will kick back in if the film makes money.) “That’s something Kevin [Reynolds] seems to ignore,” says Costner. “The guy got to shoot everything that was there. That doesn’t happen by magic — it happens by somebody going to bat.”

By October, even young Majorino seemed to get into the bunker mentality, choosing a striped prisoner’s uniform as her Halloween costume. That same month, hurricane season arrived right on schedule — though the biggest storm was Costner’s announcement that he and his wife, Cindy, the mother of his three children, were divorcing after 16 years of marriage.

Asked why he decided to go public during an already tumultuous time, Costner lets his voice go soft, and says, “There’s almost never a good time for these things.” The announcement only whetted the appetite of the press, which was already hungry for details from the set, as it had been closed to journalists. Costner even banned the tabloids themselves from the set after he saw a crewmember with one that carried his photo on the cover. “This doesn’t help me at all to have this sitting right here,” he told the worker. “I’m really happy you have time to read this. I wish I had the time.” And when Hopper tried to show Costner a tabloid article, Costner quietly got up and walked away. “I don’t ask for a lot on the set,” he says. “Be quiet, don’t read my tabloid headlines to me.”

While Costner was agonizing over his marriage, he found solace for the first time in several years in his old friendship with Reynolds. “I sympathized with him,” says Reynolds, whose first marriage ended in divorce in 1985. “I knew he was going through a very hard time in his life. He didn’t miss any days because of it. I just think it played heavily on his mind.”

By the time the production moved to Los Angeles at the beginning of this year, the bill was up to $150 million, and phrases like Fishtar and Kevin’s Gate (a term that, it should be noted, was also applied to the hugely successful Dances With Wolves when it was in production) were showing up in print.

Back on dry land, Reynolds shot underwater city sequences in tanks at Huntington Beach, and scenes of the Deacon’s tanker (a replica of the Exxon Valdez) on a field in the City of Commerce, south of L.A. Heights — shy Costner says he insisted on doing his own bungee-jump stunt work at a parking lot location “so the movie would be over sooner.” (Stuntmen require extra camera setups to hide their faces.) He plummeted toward the asphalt, which resembled “any other parking lot. Black, large, you fall on your head, you’re dead.”

On Feb. 14, the day shooting finished, Costner was being jerked like a marionette by wires in front of a bluescreen for a shot that would become part of a bungee jump. “I hurt my back really bad doing the shot,” he says. “[Reynolds] wanted another take. I just kind of shook my head and said, ‘I can’t.’ ”

Footage of the 110-foot tanker miniature had already been shot in the Mojave Desert, so the filmmakers quickly started on postproduction, producing such elaborate visual effects as a computer-generated ocean and creating a giant sea creature from scratch.

And while they were at it — according to Newsweek — Costner ordered his hair to be computer-enhanced. “I cannot tell you for the life of me where that would come from,” he says, denying the report. “We had a hard enough time getting the computer-generated things we need for the movie, let alone that.”

And then, of course, there were the gills. “The damned things look like little vaginas!” a Universal exec was quoted as saying. “They were always going to be enhanced by computer,” says Gordon, who called columnist Liz Smith to deny that Costner had anything resembling sex organs on his neck. “Talking to Liz Smith about vaginas, that was probably the hardest conversation.” An effects crew solved the problem by digitally transferring Costner’s gills from an above-water scene — in which they looked like gills — to the underwater shots, in which they indeed looked like…you know.

Meanwhile, whatever détente the two Kevins had reached was icing over in the editing room. Costner says he fought with the studio to give Reynolds a 10-week edit schedule rather than the truncated five-week schedule the studio wanted. “The next day [the executives] came back to me and said, ‘[Reynolds] waived it.’ I said, ‘Fine, I don’t give a s—.’ ” Five weeks later Reynolds turned in a 2-hour-and-40-minute cut that he intended to trim to 2 hours and 15 minutes (as his contract required) after the studio saw “the tough choices [in editing] that we’d have to make.” He also called for reshoots in Hawaii.

Costner predicted that the cuts Reynolds would choose would leave the film with nothing but “wall-to-wall action, which the movie couldn’t sustain. It’s not good enough to be wall-to-wall action.” He also worried that Reynolds’ plan for reshoots would jeopardize the film’s summer release.

A Robin Hood rerun was unfolding. “[Costner’s] biggest concern was the Mariner,” says Reynolds. “My biggest concern was the story. I wanted a coherent tale from beginning to end.” Says screenwriter Twohy, “At the end of the day, there should be one director on a movie, one clear voice. When you have a star as talented and powerful as Kevin Costner, it leads to pushing and pulling. Sometimes that can hurt a film.”

Reynolds took Universal’s suggestions and promised to accommodate the studio, on the condition that he could also prepare his own version for a Directors Guild of America screening — a standard part of the postproduction process. He says the producers agreed, but that Costner and Chuck Gordon wanted “a day or so” with the film in the editing room to work on it.

“A week later, they were still cutting,” says Reynolds. And when the producers told him there was no longer time for him to preview the movie for the DGA, “I finally said, ‘I’m not going to work like this.’ That’s when I left.”

Ten days later, on May 9, the lights went down on a test screening of the producers’ rough cut in Sacramento. The test audience had been invited to “a new action movie with a major Hollywood star.” At 7:25 p.m., they were told it was Waterworld . “I want my money back!” shouted one man. “I knew it would be this f—ing movie!” The print received lukewarm to bad reviews. “It took us two hours to realize what was going on,” one attendee said. And someone complained that the computer-generated shark footage, unfinished at the time, looked fake.

Costner and the effects crews returned to their editing rooms for more cutting. A subsequent sneak in Dallas scored 20 percent higher approval ratings, says Gordon. “And it’s getting better. The movie’s being cut even again. The shark footage was worked on.” As of the end of June, camera crews were on Catalina island, still working, taking shots of the ocean.

Universal is hopeful that Waterworld , which will be rated PG-13, can somehow make money by the time it’s released internationally. “If it does Flintstones business or Speed business worldwide, it will be very successful,” says Pollock. But even he admits the movie needs to do blockbuster business, commonly defined as at least $100 million domestically. In any case, the real winner — or at least the sure non-loser — may be MCA’s new owner Bronfman; under the terms of his purchase, Matsushita agreed to shoulder Waterworld ‘s production costs, while MCA will reap its profits, if any are made.

These days, the two Kevins are once again not speaking to each other. They are, however, more than willing to talk about each other — at separate tables, in separate restaurants, on separate days. This morning, Kevin Reynolds is having breakfast in the Polo Lounge of the recently revamped Beverly Hills Hotel, going over what went wrong between him and the star. He’s cautious. He wonders what Costner’s been saying about him. He’s told Costner feels he ran interference between Reynolds and the studio, and got no thanks for it.

“I’m sorry,” says Reynolds in his softened Texas accent, containing his temper, “but all good things don’t flow from Kevin Costner. If he fought so hard for me, why did he stay in the editing room and jeopardize my DGA screening?”

Costner said there just wasn’t time. That was his…

“Rationale?” says Reynolds.

The director says his next project will be moving to Seattle with his wife and 2-year-old daughter. He’s catching a plane later in the day. “I’m going to take some time off,” he says, thoughtfully. “Next year I want to do a really small movie, more personal.”

Starring who?

“Starring nobody.”

At the end of his interview, Costner is still in a gentlemanly good mood when the waiter brings the bill. Costner boards his big white Chevrolet and heads back to work. He idles in traffic on a bridge that spans a small gully. A woman has parked on the side, so her little girl can get out and gaze over the guardrail at the water.

“I keep thinking that woman is going to toss that kid over,” says Costner. He pulls the great white vehicle forward and thinks on this further. “I’ll have to jump in and save her.” Now he’s smiling again, and he laughs at himself. “I hope the music’s playing when I go.”

(Additional reporting by Gregg Kilday, with Pat H. Broeske, Michael Szymanski, and Jeffrey Wells)

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So here it is at last, “Waterworld,” two years and $200 million in the making. In the old days in Hollywood, they used to brag about how much a movie cost. Now they apologize. There’s been so much publicity about this movie’s budget that a review of the story seems beside the point; I should just print the spreadsheets.

The cost controversy aside, “Waterworld” is a decent futuristic action picture with some great sets, some intriguing ideas, and a few images that will stay with me. It could have been more, it could have been better, and it could have made me care about the characters. It’s one of those marginal pictures you’re not unhappy to have seen, but can’t quite recommend.

The movie begins with the trademark Universal globe spinning in space, and then we see the polar ice cap melting while a deep voice (not James Earl Jones for a change) sets the story in “the future,” when all of the Earth is covered in water. Cut to Mariner ( Kevin Costner ), aboard his trimaran, a sailing vessel that looks made out of spare parts from “Mad Max.” The first shot of an action hero is supposed to set the tone for a movie; remember your initial glimpses of James Bond or Batman, and compare them with “Waterworld,” which shows Mariner peeing into a bottle, pouring the fluid into a home-made chemistry set, cranking a handle to process it, and then drinking it. Then he gargles, and spits on his little lime tree, so we know how he gets fresh water and vitamin C.

I would have welcomed more of those details about the global floating culture that Mariner is a part of. But like so many science fiction movies, this one bypasses the best possibilities of the genre: Instead of science and speculation, we get a lot of violent action scenes.

Mariner is a loner, a “mutie,” or mutant, with gills behind his ears, and webbed feet. He goes to trade at a big floating “atoll,” which is like a seagoing version of the post-apocalyptic city in “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.” He has something they want.

“Mmmm!” says a trader. “Pure dirt! 3.2 kilos!” He trades it for cash, spends some of it at the bar, and meets Helen ( Jeanne Tripplehorn ), the bartender. Then he offends the locals by refusing to contribute to their gene pool, and is locked in a cage when the fortress comes under attack from Smokers – renegade outlaws who prowl the seas in souped-up jet skis.

The leader of the Smokers is Deacon (a chain-smoker, of course), played by Dennis Hopper as another of his violent cackling loonies. Hopper is the standard-issue villain of the 1990s, and his appearances would grow tiresome if he weren’t so good at them, adding weird verbal twists that make his characters seem smarter and more twisted.

The Smokers’ attack on the atoll is a virtuoso action sequence, including stunts where guys on jet skis speed up a ramp and fly over the atoll walls, landing in the lagoon inside. (It’s a little strange to see Hells Angels types doing the same basic water-ski stunts perfected 50 years ago in all those Esther Williams pictures set at Cypress Gardens.) Mariner is freed by Helen, whose price is that he must help her and a young girl named Enola ( Tina Majorino ) escape. He’s forced to agree, and soon they’re sailing the high seas and squabbling (“This is my boat, and I got it the way I like it”). Mariner would just as soon throw Helen and the girl overboard, but we know the obligatory outcome: He’ll get to like them. He does, grudgingly, and then discovers the Smokers want the girl because she has a map tattooed on her back that shows the way to land. The relationship scenes are pretty grim, apart from a long-delayed kiss and a breathtaking visit beneath the waves to visit a drowned city.

There are a lot of amazing props in the movie, including various flying and sailing machines and medieval; futuristic weapons.

And a few smiles, as when the Deacon’s ship turns out to be the Exxon Valdez (with a portrait of Captain Joe Hazelwood still on display). I am not quite sure, however, that I believed the scene where Deacon fires up his men with promises of dry land, and they all troop down into the hold of the Valdez and start rowing it like a Roman galley.

Kevin Costner obviously decided to play his character as a poker-faced outsider, not entirely human, and although that’s a logical choice it isn’t a very entertaining one; Mel Gibson , in a similar role as Mad Max, went for energy and good humor, and was more fun. There is also a certain lack of imagination in the story. These floating people have the whole globe to explore, but they seem to hang out in the same small patch of sea with the same characters. Are there different cultures elsewhere? Different adaptations to the flood? The movie doesn’t care.

It’s said “Waterworld’s” first cut was a good deal longer than its final 120-minute running time, and you can sense that occasionally, as when the Mariner fights off an attack by the Smokers and then immediately takes Helen on the trip beneath the sea, when it seems the Smokers must still be in sight. But basically the movie plays smoothly as a combination of chases, fights, bizarre locations, special effects, and the cold, distant, slowly thawing behavior of Mariner toward his passengers. I’ll remember some of the sights in “Waterworld” for a long time. But I won’t necessarily want to see them again.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

• Jeanne Tripplehorn as Helen
• Kevin Costner as Mariner
• Tina Majorino as Enola
• Dennis Hopper as Deacon

Produced by

• Charles Gordon
• David Twohy
• Peter Rader

Directed by

• Kevin Reynolds

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How Waterworld Became a $175 Million Epic

It was a legendarily expensive action vehicle for Kevin Costner in 1995, but Waterworld originally began life as a subtly different story...

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This article comes from Den of Geek UK .

Tales of Waterworld ‘s making have long since passed into legend. You’ve probably read about the long and difficult shoot on the open seas around Hawaii, about the soaring costs, the sinking sets and the increasingly fractious relationship between the two Kevins – director Kevin Reynolds and star Kevin Costner. You’ve probably heard about a pre-Buffy Joss Whedon being flown in to revise the script, and how, getting wind of all this, the Hollywood press started calling Waterworld names like “Fishtar and “Kevin’s Gate”.

What’s less commonly discussed is just where Waterworld came from. It’s often reported that the screenplay was written by Peter Rader and later reworked by David Twohy; what’s less widely known is that Waterworld could have wound up as a low-budget, $5 million movie in the Roger Corman mode. We know this thanks to a rare interview with Rader from a ’90s edition of the genre magazine, Starlog .

Back in the mid-80s, Peter Rader was a young graduate who wanted to break into the film industry. According to Rader, it was during a meeting with Roger Corman in 1986 that the seed for Waterworld was first planted.

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“I had a meeting with Roger Corman’s company in 1986 that stimulated the idea,” Rader recalled “I met with Brad Krevoy – who went on to produce Dumb And Dumber – and he offered me money to write and direct a Mad Max rip-off.”

The early-to-mid 80s saw no shortage of Mad Max clones, particularly in the wake of George Miller’s hit sequel, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior . Suddenly, video shops were full of cheap post-apocalyptic movies where cars crashed and stunt performers clad in tattered clothes fought in deserts, quarries or disused warehouses. The question for Rader was, how could his story stand out in a crowd of similar-looking films with names lik e 1990: Bronx Warriors , Warriors Of The Apocalypse , or Warlords Of The 21st Century ?

His imagination fired, Rader began thinking about the sea. What if, he thought, the post apocalyptic action of George Miller’s hit franchise was transplanted to a future where Earth is submerged under the ocean?

“Hey, Brad,” Rader suggested to the producer; “how about we do the whole movie on water?”

Krevoy’s response was less than favourable.

“Are you out of your mind? A movie like that would cost us $5 million to make!”

Despite that knock-back, Rader wrote the script anyway – enjoying the process of writing a story unclouded by concerns about budgets or cheap, filmable locations. Broadly, Rader’s screenplay was close to the movie that came out in 1995: the planet’s flooded, and the protagonist is known simply as the Mariner – a loner who travels the oceans and generally avoids the populations of survivors huddled together on makeshift, artificial floating islands.

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Tonally, however, Rader’s screenplay had more eccentric and colourful elements than the shooting drafts; the story’s villain, called Deacon in the finished film, was originally called Neptune, and “he had a trident and sat in a clamshell throne.”

“There were all sorts of very odd, funny touches like that,” Rader said. “There were also some very surreal elements. One of the things that made the Mariner [originally called Noah] unique in my script was that he originally had a white horse on his boat, which was a river barge at that point. It was surreal – he wouldn’t show anyone the horse, he would always hide it.” 

By 1988, Rader had directed his first movie: a little-seen horror piece called Grandmother’s House , produced by Greek impresario Nico Mastorakis – the chap who also gave the world such films as Blood Tide and Ninja Academy . Perhaps bolstered by this, Rader dug out his Waterworld script, gave it a bit of a polish, and began to send it out on spec. The screenplay soon landed in the hands of Andy Licht and Jeff Mueller, who by the late 80s had made a name for themselves with the low-budget teen comedy, License To Drive , starring Coreys Haim and Feldman.

“We saw it basically as a spaghetti western on water,” Mueller said of that early draft, which impressed he and Licht enough that they began to figure out a way of making it on a relatively low budget.

“We had mapped out several ways of keeping it under control,” Licht told the LA Times in 1995, before explaining that their plan was to film the movie in a water tank in Malta – the same watery set used for such films as Raise The Titanic and the ill-fated Cutthroat Island . The budget would have been somewhat more generous than the $5 million Brad Krevoy had balked at in 1986: around $30 million, making it roughly in line with a mid-budget thriller of the early 1990s, like Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break .

Licht and Mueller wound up joining forces with producer Larry Gordon, who’d recently formed his own production company, Largo Entertainment – a firm that had recently enjoyed success with such films as Field Of Dreams , starring one Kevin Costner. At Largo, Waterworld ‘ s original director was Nils Gaup, a little-known Norwegian director who’d made the action-adventure, Pathfinder . That film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 1988, and Waterworld , with its gritty high-seas action, must’ve seemed like a logical first step for Gaup into the realm of American filmmaking.

Waterworld was moving forward at Largo, but all the same, the problem of keeping the costs down persisted; at one point, Licht and Mueller suggested that the story’s grand finale, which took place aboard a super tanker, ought to be cut out. 

“The super-tanker in the movie was always the great set piece of the film,” Rader said. “The final battle is over this gigantic super-tanker, and the super-tanker was in all of the drafts, and it was the culmination of everything.”

Ultimately, it wasn’t money that killed this earlier incarnation of Waterworld – but rather the keen interest of some much bigger Hollywood fish. Kevin Costner, Kevin Reynolds  and Universal Studios began circling Waterworld sometime in 1992, and according to the LA Times , Licht and Mueller were “not so politely asked to leave the picture.”

“We got a call from one executive who said that if we did not play along with CAA and Universal,” Licht said, “neither company would ever do business with us again. After a brief legal tussle, Licht and Mueller managed to retain an “executive producer” credit on the finished movie – but in any tangible sense, their involvement was at an end.

Likewise Peter Rader, who was replaced by David Twohy at around the same period in 92.

“At that point, I had done six or seven drafts, and they decided they wanted to bring in a new voice, because I was so burnt out on the whole thing. I as bummed out and disappointed, but that’s just the nature of the beast.” 

With that new voice came a subtle shift in tone. The white horse hidden from view on the Mariner’s barge? Gone, as was the barge, in fact – replaced by a faster and more agile trimaran. Neptune, with his trident and clamshell throne? Replaced by a less eccentric villain, who would soon be played by Dennis Hopper. Another element that was dropped in the Twohy drafts: birds.

“Also, birds were in very high demand, because they could detect something big nearby, possibly land. We kept those elements in until the Kevins got involved. When they got involved with the production, they decided it would be too much of a headache to have all those animals around. They took out all of those lighter elements.”

So it was that Waterworld rumbled on towards the film’s start of production in June 1994, by which point the budget had already ballooned to $65 million, with a reported $14 million spent on Costner’s salary. All the while, the script kept being rewritten, both in the run-up to the shoot and during its filming on location in Hawaii. By this point, Joss Whedon had come aboard to give the film an uncredited polish.

“ Waterworld was a good idea, and the script was the classic, ‘They have a good idea, then they write a generic script and don’t really care about the idea,'” Whedon told the AV Club years later. “When I was brought in, there was no water in the last 40 pages of the script. It all took place on land, or on a ship, or whatever. I’m like, ‘Isn’t the cool thing about this guy that he has gills?’ And no one was listening.” 

It’s at this point the Waterworld story lands back in familiar territory: the fraught production, the fall-out between Costner and Reynolds, and the wild cost overruns, which saw the budget rise again to a final sum of about $175m.

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“I was there for seven weeks,” Whedon said of the production, gloomily, “and I accomplished nothing.”

The press became grimly fascinated by the stories floating out of the shoot, and there was the widespread assumption – perhaps even a perverse hope – that Waterworld would become a critical and financial disaster. In the end, the film was neither; Waterworld may have been expensive, but it offered genuine widescreen spectacle. The film was hardly a smash hit, but it wasn’t a failure, either; by the time video sales and other streams were factored in, Waterworld more than made its money back.

These days, Waterworld is frequently lumped in with all those films that wound up costing their studios a fortune: Cleopatra , Ishtar , Heaven’s Gate . But behind all that, there’s another, equally interesting story: how a script with modest origins, written by a screenwriter who at the time was little known in Hollywood, eventually became one of the most talked-about films of the 1990s.   

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Ryan Lambie

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• In a future where the polar ice-caps have melted and Earth is almost entirely submerged, a mutated mariner fights starvation and outlaw "smokers," and reluctantly helps a woman and a young girl try to find dry land.
• The polar ice caps have melted, and the earth is covered by water. The remaining people travel the seas, in search of survival. Several different societies exist. The Mariner falls from his customary and solitary existence into having to care for a woman and a young girl while being pursued by the evil forces of the Deacon. — Robbie Smith <[email protected]>
• In the future, the Earth is engulfed with water when the polar ice caps melted, leaving the lands and civilization beneath the sea. In "Waterworld" drifters sail across the waters of the world on their man-made ships, trading for supplies and salvaging what is left of civilization, communities of survivors live in towns called "Atolls", and a force of evil pirates "The Smokers" travel across Waterworld in search of a mythical island called "Dryland". Arriving at an Atoll, a mysterious drifter without a name called The Mariner is sentenced to death when the community discovers he is a mutant. When the Atoll is attacked by The Smokers led by their evil leader Deacon, a woman named Helen and her adopted daughter Enola bribe The Mariner to take them to Dryland, believing The Mariner has been there. But the Mariner, Helen and Enola are pursued by Deacon and the Smokers, when The Mariner learns the tattoo on Enola's back is in reality a map that will lead them to Dryland... — Daniel Williamson
• Sometime in the future, the polar ice caps have melted and the world's oceans and seas have covered the land. People are few and far between, living in small communities at sea or sailing from one to another as traders. All the people seek dry land.. something nobody has seen. — Rob Hartill
• The world is flooded. Civilisation is lost under the sea. The Mariner sails his trimoran over the seas, drinking his own Urine and visits a floating atoll of "Drifters". When they find the Mariner to be a mutant they sentence him to death. Meanwhile, a girl with supposedly a map to get to dry land tattoo-ed on her back, is the objective for an attack by a gang of smokers who attack the atoll. — Anonymous
• In the future, the polar ice caps have melted, and the sea level has risen hundreds of meters, covering every continent. Human population has been scattered across the ocean in individual, isolated communities consisting of artificial islands and mostly decrepit sea vessels. An antihero drifter known only as "the Mariner" (Kevin Costner), sails the seas in his trimaran. He enters an artificial atoll seeking to trade dirt, which is a precious commodity. It is later revealed that he is a mutant with webbed feet and gills, an evolutionary step to accommodate the changes in climate. The fearful Atollers vote to "recycle" him by drowning him in a yellow sludge brine pool. At that moment pirates, known as "Smokers", raid the atoll, having been tipped off by a Smoker spy posing as a trader (Gerard Murphy), known as "the Nord". The Smokers are searching for an orphan girl named Enola (Tina Majorino), who has what appears to be a map and directions to Dryland tattooed on her back. The girl and her guardian, Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn), the atoll's shopkeeper, plan to escape with Gregor (Michael Jeter), the atoll's expert inventor, in the hopes of finding Dryland. Unfortunately, Gregor's escape method, a hot air balloon made of old rags, launches too early with him on it, leaving Helen and Enola stranded. They instead escape with the Mariner, who agrees to take them with him because they saved his life, though he is ill at ease with their company, as he prefers solitude, and finds them to be a nuisance. Chasing them is "the Deacon" (Dennis Hopper), who is the captain of a derelict oil tanker, the Exxon Valdez, and the leader of the Smokers. He wants the map to Dryland and has a number of skirmishes with the Mariner while trying to get Enola. After Helen's naive actions during a battle with the Smokers results in significant damage to the Mariner's boat, he angrily cuts their hair very short. After this incident, the Mariner gradually warms up to them and teaches Enola to swim. Helen, convinced that Dryland exists, demands to know where the Mariner finds his dirt. The Mariner, able to breathe underwater, puts her in a diving bell and swims down to the ruins of Denver, where he collects the dirt and other items from the bottom of the sea for trade. While they are underwater, the Deacon and his Smokers board the boat, burns it and captures Enola, while the Mariner and Helen barely escape. Since Helen cannot breathe underwater, the Mariner breathes for the both of them, resulting in an underwater kiss of life. They resurface and board the wreckage of the Mariner's trimaran, where they are later rescued by Gregor. He takes them to a new makeshift atoll where the survivors of the first atoll attack have regrouped. Using a jet ski, the Mariner chases down the Exxon Valdez and boards it. There, the Deacon is having a celebration, tossing gifts of cigarettes and Smeat (cans of Spam) to the crew, proclaiming they have found the map to Dryland. After they have all gone below decks to row, the Mariner walks out onto the deck and threatens to drop a flare into the oil reserves unless the Deacon releases Enola. The Deacon, believing that the Mariner is bluffing, refuses, so the Mariner drops the flare into a vent of the oil reserve tank. The ship explodes, and the Mariner escapes with Enola by climbing a rope up to Gregor's balloon. The Deacon, still alive, makes a grab for Enola, but Helen throws a metal object which strikes him in the forehead, causing him to fall into the water. He pulls out his pistol and shoots at the balloon, hitting one of the lines, causing Enola to fall into the sea. The Deacon and two other Smokers, all on jet skis, converge on Enola. The Mariner ties a rope around his ankle and bungee jumps down to grab Enola, pulling her out of the water just as the jet skis collide and explode. Gregor deciphers the map, translating the Asian symbols using an old and tattered China Airlines magazine. He realizes that they are latitude and longitude coordinates, and steers his balloon in that direction. The group finds Dryland, which turns out to be the peak of Mount Everest, still above sea level. Gregor, Enola, Helen and the others land on the island and find the skeletons of Enola's parents. They begin civilization anew on the island, but the Mariner decides he must leave. Enola, saddened to hear the Mariner is going, asks why. He explains that he does not belong on land, and that the ocean, his only home, calls to him. He builds a new wooden boat on the beach and sails off.

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FILM REVIEW: WATERWORLD

FILM REVIEW: WATERWORLD; Aquatic Armageddon With Plenty of Toys

By Janet Maslin

• July 28, 1995

THE torrent of loose talk that ushers in "Waterworld," the most wasteful feat of one-upmanship in Hollywood history, threatens to drown out the movie itself. How can a made-up tale of rivalry and opportunism beat the backstage melodrama of bringing "Waterworld" to the screen? Afloat on a sea of production crises, the makers of this madly inflated action film have been held accountable for just about every imaginable sin. The melting of the polar ice cap, which sets the film's story in motion, is one of the few relevant calamities for which they have not been blamed.

What was the point of this hubris-filled exercise? Finally we know. Directed by Kevin Reynolds, "Waterworld" is a big, brawny, overzealously bizarre epic punctuated by daring action scenes, which are sloppily assembled (the sky or ocean color seldom matches in any two consecutive scenes) but still exciting. It goes slack between taunts and explosions.

It lacks the coherent fantasy of truly enveloping science fiction, preferring to concentrate on flashy, isolated stunts that say more about expense than expertise. Its storytelling, remarkably crude for such an elaborate production, takes a back seat to its enthusiasm for post-apocalyptic rust and rubble.

In other words, we would never have heard so much about "Waterworld" if it were only "Waterworld," a reasonably diverting sci-fi film with extras who appear to be wearing rags and old car parts, that we were hearing about. But this fiscal debacle has become emblematic of too much about the way Hollywood does business. Even more damaging than the blind trust in A-list movie stars to lead audiences anywhere -- in this case, to a sinking slag heap in the Pacific -- is the logic behind filming an aquatic adventure on such a huge, unmanageable scale. It seems to have been done mostly because it hadn't been done before, and for no better reason.

First came the water, then came gills and webbed feet: this film's floating cowboy of a hero is the Mariner (Kevin Costner), an amphibian hunk who gets to deliver one of the more memorable make-out lines in movie history. "I'll breathe for both of us," he offers, putting an undersea lip-lock on Helen, the dull, decorative heroine played by Jeanne Tripplehorn. Beyond this, "Waterworld" isn't much of a romance. The Mariner spends less time breathing for Helen than slapping her around.

Creating ways to emphasize the Mariner's mutant physique is one of the film's biggest priorities. Mr. Costner, attractively agile and muscular in a mostly sub-verbal role, quite literally acts with his feet, giving the character a froggy acrobatic energy that underscores his strangeness. The film also begins by showing the Mariner refining his urine into drinking water, lest anyone mistake the extravagance of "Waterworld" for a sign of softness. But beyond knowing of the Mariner's unusual talents, and letting him sail through this regatta of a film on an amazing trimaran equipped with homemade contraptions, "Waterworld" doesn't care who he is or how he got that way. The Mariner's character is skin-deep in every way.

The Mariner is good, unlike the marauding Smokers, who are evil. And there you have the essential plot of "Waterworld," which boils down to a contest between Mr. Costner's surly hero and the leader of the Smoker tribe, Dennis Hopper's flamboyantly monstrous Deacon. Mr. Hopper has been given an eyepatch, a codpiece and an arsenal of wisecracks ("Well, I'll be damned -- it's the gentleman guppy!") to make the Deacon look like something other than the stock villain he happens to be. Still, nobody chews scenery with Mr. Hopper's high style.

Like the Mariner, the Smokers have been conceived in strictly visual terms (or at least that's all that Mr. Reynolds's vigorous but muddled direction allows to come through). As a matter of fact, they're nothing but their equipment, notably the water toys they use to attack the Atoll, the floating pile of scrap metal on which the film's beleaguered nice folks live. Early in the film, the Smokers sensationally attack the Atoll using their full panoply of weapons, which wind up seeming less daunting than they're meant to be. Guys who jet-ski in formation just don't seem that tough.

Of course, when one of them crash-catapults into a hanging cage where the Mariner is being held prisoner, dunking him into yellow slime and freeing him to join the battle, "Waterworld" succeeds in working its muscular magic. This opening conflagration is one of the film's striking high points, as is the sequence that has the Mariner introducing Helen to the secrets of the underwater world. Helen also pitches in for a trimaran-airplane fight that ends with the Mariner's gruffly hacking her hair off. "Don't ever touch anything on my boat again," he mutters. Nice.

"Waterworld" threatens to turn allegorical once Helen and the girl she treats as a daughter, the cryptically named Enola (savvy little Tina Majorino), flee the Atoll and take refuge aboard the Mariner's mini-Ark. But the screenplay, credited to Peter Rader and David Twohy, is never concise enough for that. Instead, "Waterworld" drifts between battles and unappetizing oddballs, like the gibbering weirdo to whom the Mariner almost sells Helen in exchange for a piece of paper. Helen bristles at the idea of prostitution, but she has already tried to barter herself to the Mariner.

Helen, like some of the film's other characters, is tightly laced into her fetchingly ragged costume (by John Bloomfield), yet it miraculously falls right off her in the above-mentioned scene. Fish fetishists will be interested to learn that the Mariner wears a salmon-skin jacket and his pants are made of braided mahi-mahi.

Among the other technical elements assembled to float this massive boat, James Newton Howard's score is so swellingly effusive that it pronounces the film awesome long before the audience can. And Dennis Gassner, the production designer who has done fine work on "Bugsy" and "Barton Fink," gives this film a comparably distinctive look in a much uglier style. Dean Semler, a cinematographer who has been out to sea before with "Dead Calm," captures the occasional spectacular seascape and a lot of evidence of changeable Hawaiian weather. More time and care spent on post-production work would have hidden those variations.

But it could be argued that "Waterworld" didn't need more of anything. Even though it ends with a set-up for a sequel. Believe it or not.

"Waterworld" is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It includes partial nudity, profanity, blatant sexual references and enough violence to have called for 6,000 arrows, 300 axes and 40,000 rounds of ammunition.

WATERWORLD Directed by Kevin Reynolds; written by Peter Rader and David Twohy; director of photography, Dean Semler; edited by Peter Boyle; music by James Newton Howard; production designer, Dennis Gassner; costumes by John Bloomfield; produced by Charles Gordon, John Davis and Kevin Costner; released by Universal Pictures. Running time: 120 minutes. This film is rated PG-13. WITH: Kevin Costner (Mariner), Dennis Hopper (Deacon), Jeanne Tripplehorn (Helen) and Tina Majorino (Enola).

Waterworld Ending, Explained

Kevin Reynolds’ 1995 post-apocalyptic action-adventure movie ‘Waterworld’ is a movie that you may or may not like, but it is not one you can shove aside. The epic nautical story takes us to a bleak future, where a nameless drifter — who goes by the Mariner — teams up with a woman and a child to embark upon a reluctant journey to find the mythical dry land.

Kevin Costner delivers a reticent performance against Jeanne Tripplehorn in the leading roles. A lavish budget and an outlandish ambiance make up for occasional glitches (a “waitress” in a world with no restaurants). If you need to brush up on the final moments of this retro-futuristic genre foray, let us take you to the troubled waters. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Waterworld Plot Synopsis

The polar ice caps have melted far ahead into the future, and humans now live like sea nomads in scattered groups. These groups primarily entail either Slavers or Smokers, while the lone sailors are called Drifters. The Mariner is such a drifter, roaming the endless oceans – after some acrobatics, he finds a lighter that does not work. Meanwhile, he meets a friendly drifter and learns about an atoll (a floating colony) eight days east. According to the code, something needs to be exchanged, but the drifter has it all.

At this juncture, a group of Smokers ambushes the Mariner’s ship while his sails are down, but the Mariner escapes the situation tactfully. He reaches the atoll, looking to trade 3.2 kilos of pure dirt against 124 chits (the new world’s currency). After making the exchange, the Mariner goes to the seedy bar of Helen to get two glasses of hydro, but an enforcer wants a drink too. The Mariner is not looking forward to entertaining guests, and the people find out that he has gills for ears and feet like fins. They take the Mariner for a monster and lock him up. Old Gregor comes to meet him near the cage, but he is not courageous enough to let him escape.

The following morning, when they are about to plunge the Mariner into a bog, the atoll faces a horde of Smokers from outside. With some help from Helen and Enola, the Mariner flees the scene while accepting to take them to the mythical dry land. Enola has a map drawn on her back leading to the dry land, and as the news spreads, the Deacon and his pack of Smokers want a piece of Enola. The ichthyic sapien is skeptical at first, but he comes to show his more humane side as the story trudges forward.

Waterworld Ending: How Did the World Get Submerged?

In the post-apocalyptic “Waterworld,” the polar ice caps have melted, and the sea levels have risen around 8200 meters, submerging most of the land underwater. Humans live in the oceans, but with limbs in place of fins, they are not cut out for living in the water. Therefore, humans still grow trees whenever and wherever they can and dream of dry land. Freshwater (called “hydro” in the mythical universe of the movie) and pure dirt are the rarest of commodities. But the prodigious child Enola and her visions give us some hope since people say that the tattoo engraved on her back is a map leading directly to the dry land.

The map is of immense value, and thus the Smokers and their leader, the Deacon, want Enola dead or alive. The Smokers keep chasing Enola, and when coerced, Helen comes clear about the map. She believes that the tattoo on Enola’s back would take them to the dry land, but the Mariner knows better. He takes her on an underwater trip to the supposed “dry land,” inhabitable cities submerged underwater.

After the tour, while Helen is still recovering from the view, they realize that the Deacon has hijacked the trimaran. The Smokers burn the boat, capture Enola, and take her to their rundown ship. In the meantime, the smoke from the burning ship attracts Old Gregor, and he comes to rescue the party. They head to another ship, sheltering survivors from the atoll.

According to Old Gregor, the unknown engravings on Enola’s back are numbers – latitudes and longitudes. Enola is nothing but trouble for the survivors, and they don’t want anything to do with her. The Mariner goes to the Smoker ship to rescue Enola. Meanwhile, Old Gregor has cracked the puzzle of the tattoo. The world has turned upside down.

Initially, we think that the post-apocalyptic world was created by global warming or some catastrophe orchestrated by humankind. However, the discovery made by Old Gregor changes the equation. The poles have altered positions, meaning the south pole is now the north pole and vice versa. This catastrophe is also probably the reason why the world is submerged underwater. The occurrence of the event would cause drastic changes in the planet’s geography, and this seems to be the incident that propelled the melting of the ice caps.

Where is the Dryland? Who Is the Family at The Dryland Cottage?

Fast-forwarding to the final moments, the Mariner wakes up in the aircraft and finds a seagull sitting on the rails. Seagulls indicate land, and he sees a mountain peeking through the clouds. Despite the unmovable skepticism of the Mariner, the dry land seemingly still exists. As they land on the island (presumably Mount Everest, considering the height), Old Gregor is delighted to find a fresh water source.

They advance in their ways, and the Atoll Enforcer stumbles upon an old hut. In the cabin, they find two skeletons, hand in hand, lying on a table. The pages on the table are painted with the same symbol and engravings as on Enola’s back. While the Atoll Enforcer suggests burying the skeletons in the dirt, Gregor thinks that the dead knew of their imminent fate. Enola comes into the cottage to take a closer look, and she cryptically says, “I’m home.”

The audiences may wonder who the family in the cottage is, and we are bound to speculate devoid of a concrete answer. However, the most plausible explanation is that the family at the dryland cottage is the family of Enola. She claims to have seen dryland several times, and in her simple drawings, we find traces of dryland objects and animals. Moreover, the tattoo on her back matches the illustrations found in the hut. Her genuine sadness following the discovery most likely indicates that the family was somehow related to Enola. From the extended cut, we come to know that the skeletons indeed belonged to Enola’s parents.

Does the Mariner Stay with Helen and Enola?

Although the Mariner, Helen, and Enola could have started a family of their own, natural selection has seemingly made it difficult for the Mariner to live on the ground. With gills under his ears and conjoined fingers, he is evolved as a new human for the new world. A mutant like him has no family because the humans are keen to ostracize him at first sight of the gills. That is why the Mariner parts his ways with the rest of the team at the penultimate moment. He finds a boat anchored at the shore and sets sail for the uncharted oceans. Meanwhile, Helen and Enola stay behind to reinhabit the “paradise lost.”

Read More: Where Was Waterworld Filmed?

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The Tri from Water World, Where is she?

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I was painfully thinking and then I wondered on the Tri that was the focal point in the movie "Water World". Does any one know of her were abouts? Or her history after the movie had been made?  

Inspired by racing trimarans built by Jeanneau Advanced Technologies' multi-hull division Lagoon; a custom 60 foot (18 m) yacht was designed by Marc Van Peteghem & Vincent Lauriot-Prevost VPLP, and built in France by Lagoon. Two versions were built, 1) a relatively standard racing trimaran for distance shots, and 2) an effects-laden transforming trimaran for closeup shots, and the aforementioned transformation. The first trimaran was launched on 2 April 1994, and first surpassed 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) in September of that year.[5] The transforming version was first seen in the film as a sort of raft with a three-bladed egg-beater windmill. When needed levers could be triggered that would flatten the windmill blades while raising a hidden mast to full racing height. This was followed by revealing a boom previously hidden in the hull, and automated unfurling of the two sails. Once the transformation was complete this version could actually sail, although not as well as the dedicated racer.[5] The first boat is stored in a lake at Universal Studios Florida, and the second is in private hands in San Diego, California. [5] Click to expand...

waterworld trimaran One of the waterworld trimarans lives in the marina just across the road from the san diego airport. think it's harbor island.  

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10 behind-the-scenes facts about the making of waterworld.

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Ridley Scott Addresses Not Calling Russell Crowe For Gladiator 2: “Why Would I?”

10 things from the star wars original trilogy that haven't aged well, paul mescal reveals how he transformed his physique for gladiator 2.

Waterworld is among the most notoriously doomed Hollywood productions  ever attempted. The post-apocalyptic adventure film stars Kevin Costner as a crusading mutated Mariner who leads humanity towards salvation after the polar ice caps melt and turn the globe into an aquatic wasteland.

RELATED: 10 Best Kevin Costner Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes

Not only was Waterworld panned by critics as a bloated incoherent mess, but the extremely expensive movie also bombed at the domestic box-office. The arduous production was plagued by escalating budgets, destroyed sets, on-set infighting, injuries and illness, and other unforeseen mishaps. As the film celebrates its 25th anniversary, here are 10 behind the scenes tidbits about the making of Waterworld .

Original Conception

Prior to Kevin Costner boarding the project, Waterworld was originally conceived as a children's adventure film. Screenwriter Peter Rader was told by a producer that he could secure funding for a Mad Max knockoff, so he began penning a post-apocalyptic story set on the high seas.

The original tone of the movie was much campier. The Mariner was a human being defending the Atoll and had a penchant for secretly painting seahorses. The villain Deacon ( Dennis Hopper ) was far sillier as well, dressing like King Trident and slapping his underlings in the face with fish. Once writers Joss Whedon and David Twohy were brought in for rewrites, the film became much more serious.

Dueling Kevins

Although Kevin Costner urged Universal to hire director Kevin Reynolds (who wanted Robert Zemeckis or Lawrence Kasdan to helm), the two men constantly fought on the set of Waterworld . Things got so bad between the two that Reynolds reportedly left the film during postproduction, prompting Costner to finish the editing duties himself.

RELATED: The 10 Best Robert Zemeckis Movies, Ranked (According To IMDB)

The two Kevins also quibbled on the set of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves , which made Reynolds reluctant to take on Waterworld in the first place. The rift prompted Reynolds to say Costner should only star in movies he directs.

Most Expensive Production At The Time

Prior to James Cameron 's Titanic breaking the record two years later, Waterworld was the most expensive movie ever made at the time it was produced. The movie cost an unprecedented $175 million to make, shooting in a large water enclosure off the coast of Hawaii on elaborate floating sets.

Universal initially greenlighted the film with a $100 million budget, but the cost escalated as a result of several production delays resulting from inclement weather, rewrites, destroyed sets, and the like.

Kevin Costner's Investment

Kevin Costner reportedly invested $22 million of his own money into the Waterworld production, which is the same amount it cost to create the massive atoll in the film. Despite his commitment to the film, Costner's actions led to additional on-set friction.

Costner reportedly stayed in a private waterfront Hawaiian villa that cost $4,500 per night, while the crew members stayed in sweltering condos devoid of air conditioning. Costner even implored the VFX team to digitally erase his receding hairline in the film, a feat the proved quite costly in 1995. All told, Costner spent 157 days on the set while working six days a week.

Injuries & Mishaps

While filming the scene in which the Mariner is strapped to the mast of his trimaran, a violent squall nearly took Costner's life. Costner's stunt double was also carried out to sea and a slew of extras nearly drowned during production.

RELATED: 15 Tragic Accidents On The Sets Of Famous Movies

Famed big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton also served as Costner's stunt double for several of the scenes taking place in the water. While he avoided injury while filming, stunt coordinator Norman Howell suffered compression sickness while shooting underwater and was helicoptered to a Honolulu hospital before recovering and returning to work a few days later.

Floating Atoll Set

The massive floating Atoll set that much of the movie takes place on cost roughly $22 million to create. The structure was one-quarter of a mile in circumference and weighed over 1,000 tons (2 million pounds). Yet, neither the massive atoll nor the 30 or so boats featured in the film came equipped with bathrooms. Filming had to be stopped for people to be transported to a nearby ship to use the lavatory.

The gigantic Atoll set required every piece of steel in Hawaii and more to be flown in from California. While this cost a fortune, Waterworld injected roughly $35 million to the local Hawaiian economy.

Destroyed Sets

Another contributing factor to the increased budget and production delays on Waterworld was the destroyed sets. Production had to shut down at least three times due to hurricane warnings, and a multi-million dollar set was completely razed by a hurricane. As a result, the whole slaver faction subplot was excised from the script.

Rebuilding the sets prolonged the shoot and substantially increased the budget. Additional filming was done in Los Angeles, Santa Catalina Island, Huntington Beach, and the Channel Islands.

Mysterious Landmarks Identified

The Atlantis-like sunken city the Mariner frequents in the film is actually a digitally altered version of Denver, Colorado. The mile-high city landmark "The Northwest Building" can be spotted in one shot, which somewhat resembles a cash register.

RELATED: The 20 Most Controversial Movies Of All Time

Similarly, the much sought-after "Dryland" in the film is none other than Mount Everest. This is not made clear in the theatrical cut of the film but is confirmed in the extended "Ulysses Cut," in which Helen and Enola find a plaque honoring Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, Everest's first successful climbers.

Extended Cut

Speaking of the extended cut, Kevin Reynolds reportedly turned in a three-hour version of the film. As a way to increase daily screenings and recoup its inflated budget, Universal cut the film down to 135 minutes for the theatrical release.

Related:  Does The Extended Waterworld "Ulysses Cut" Make It A Better Movie?

ABC restored roughly 40 minutes of footage for an extended TV airing of the film, which resolved several loose storylines. Later, a fan edit of the film dubbed "The Ulysses Cut" restored the TV footage as well as the uncensored material ABC left out to craft the most complete version of the film. It was deemed so good that Universal sanctioned the version to be remastered and included in the box-set release along with the other versions.

Videogame Adaptations

Despite the dismal box-office performance, Waterworld inspired at least two videogame adaptations . Nintendo developed a game version of the movie for its Super NES , Gameboy, and Virtual Boy consoles. The game marked the only game based on a feature for Virtual Boy, but did not do well commercially.

Sega also attempted to develop videogame for its Genesis and Saturn consoles, but decided to nix the release once development was completed. A PC game called Waterworld: The Quest for Dry Land was also released in 1997.

NEXT: 5 Video Game Movie Franchises That Deserve A Reboot (& 5 That Don't)

The Character Everyone Forgets Jack Black Played In Waterworld

Jack Black is everywhere, all around us, at all times. He's in the smile of every child, in the glint of light shimmering on a morning dew drop, and in your head for the next two or three days because you just read the words "this is not the greatest song in the world."

And he's in movies, in case you haven't heard. Lots of movies — the guy has over 150 acting credits listed on his IMDb page. His career really started to pick up steam around 2000, with High Fidelity arguably marking the watershed moment when he began to inch toward real stardom. So, it can be a little baffling when you spot him in his formative years, popping up as a background extra in Demolition Man , or a guy named Monte in the episode of Touched by an Angel where Melissa Joan Hart gets wrapped up in the seedy world of bootleg CD sales. All this, and so much more, actually happened.

Another prime example: In 1995, Jack Black made a brief-but-striking appearance in Waterworld, one of America's top three favorite movies where Kevin Costner has gills.

Jack Black's tenacious Waterworld appearance

As Mad Max movies go, Waterworld is certainly the dampest, least authorized, and most expensive. And thanks to one thrilling airplane-versus-trimaran battle sequence, it's also the Jack Blackiest.

The scene: The Mariner (Kevin Costner),  Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn) , and Enola (Tina Majorino) are tracked down by the nefarious Smokers, pirates with a penchant for gas-powered mayhem. The situation is grim. Our heroes are stuck on their sailboat like a bunch of nerds, while the bad guys buzz them in a Helio H-295 Super Courier seaplane with a mounted machine gun. The pilot? None other than the Kung-fu Panda himself.

Black's role is a limited one. His lines are pretty much confined to grunting in frustration and, in a particularly optimistic moment, telling his trigger happy gunner not to hit the kid while he strafes a moving boat with automatic fire from the back of a low-flying aircraft. Tragically, the whole outing comes to an abrupt end when the most accurately wielded harpoon cannon in history launches four feet of steely death through the gunman, and Black winds up in what could best be described as "the reverse Empire Strikes Back snowspeeder maneuver." 

Blessedly, Black's character escapes and flies off into a vast horizon filled with opportunity and water. Maybe he'll be back for the sequel .

Waterworld (1995)

Directed by kevin reynolds.

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Description by Wikipedia

Waterworld is a 1995 American post-apocalyptic science fiction action film directed by Kevin Reynolds and co-written by Peter Rader and David Twohy. It was based on Rader's original 1986 screenplay and stars Kevin Costner, who also produced it with Charles Gordon and John Davis. It was distributed by Universal Pictures.

The setting of the film is in the distant future. Although no exact date was given in the film itself, it has been suggested that it takes place in 2500. The polar ice caps have completely melted, and the sea level has risen over 7,600 m (25,000 feet), covering nearly all the land. The film illustrates this with an unusual variation on the Universal logo, which begins with the usual image of Earth, but shows the planet's water levels gradually rising and the polar ice caps melting until nearly all the land is submerged. The plot of the film centers on an otherwise nameless antihero, "The Mariner", a drifter who sails the Earth in his trimaran.

The most expensive film ever made at the time, Waterworld was released to mixed reviews, praising the futuristic setting and premise but criticizing the characterization and acting performances. The film also was unable to recoup its massive budget at the box office; however, the film did later become profitable due to video and other post-cinema sales. The film was also nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Sound at the 68th Academy Awards.

The film's release was accompanied by a tie-in novel, video game, and three themed attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Singapore, and Universal Studios Japan called Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular, which are all still running as of 2016.

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Waterworld Review

11 Aug 1995

135 minutes

The weight of expectation on Fishtar, Kevin's Gate, Wet Max (take your pick), has meant you can almost smell the sadistic glee from those willing this $200 million bloater to turn belly-up. But, the bean counters at Universal apart, who cares? As for the real question - is it worth watching - rest assured this action adventure is certainly a cut above your average over-hyped threequel, a quite impressive feat of filmmaking in which director Reynolds has not only created a whole capsule world of, well, water, but thrown in some spectacular stunts and sets unlike anything seen before.

In a futuristic scenario where land has become submerged, Costner is the lone Mariner, who drifts on his trimaran, quaffing his own urine and swimming about like the Man From Atlantis with some curious flap-like gills stuck behind his ears.

One thing leading to another, he ends up sharing his quarters with the rather comely Helen (Tripplehorn) and a little girl Enola (Majorino) and it's off on a mission to seek terra firma, the mythic "Dryland", its whereabouts detailed in a map tattooed on Enola's back. This, it transpires, is a good enough reason for arch villain Deacon (Hopper) and his band of marauding "smokers" (so-called because they're fond of a tab or two) to set off in hot pursuit.

Hopper, of course, can always be replied upon for scenery chewing, and his off-the-peg baddie certainly makes up for the lack of flamboyance in Costner's unsympathetic hero. With water, water everywhere, the illusion of being (literally) all at sea is sustained throughout and the spectacular stunts (most notably a flying jet ski attack), and the sets themselves (like a huge floating pre-fab atoll), are a fair indication of where the odd bob or two was spent. Though, paradoxically, the best section of the film - the scenes on the trimaran - are also the least extravagant. Is the money up there on screen? Well, Universal did make their cash back. But, more importantly, from the stalls it's swiftly apparent that, Kevin Costner, the boy swum well.

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Movies | 28 11 2012

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The much-maligned 'Waterworld' is now on Netflix - this is why it's worth a reappraisal

"Dry land is NOT a myth!"

Nobody expected Titanic to be good. Its lengthy, expensive production was constantly snarked at in the press, with journalists gleefully jumping on every bit of bad news that came from the set, giggling at this ridiculously expensive folly that was clearly doomed to fail. 

Then it came out, made millions of people cry, became the first film to ever gross a billion dollars and won both Best Director and Best Picture at the Oscars . Everyone who’d spent the production process sniggering at what a failure it was going to be looked cynical and silly.

The thing is, they’d had plenty of practice two years earlier, savaging Waterworld all the way through its troubled production. Long before the film came anywhere near cinemas, it had been happily dismissed as a flop, a cash-haemorrhaging disaster, a career-ending bit of celluloid hubris from an out-of-control ego. When it came out, it eventually broke even, but its name was, just like the mulch the atoll-dwellers in it sink dead bodied into, mud. 

Waterworld is not a perfect film by any stretch, but it’s a lot of fun, and far better than its unwarranted reputation as a cock-up would suggest. It’s a visually stunning B-movie with an A-movie budget, a hugely impressive project cursed by context. Take the film out of the 1990s - as its new arrival on Netflix lets us do - and it’s a totally entertaining, original piece of action cinema. 

As a Mad Max -esque post-apocalyptic explosion-filled romp ( Outlaw Vern , the internet’s best film writer, dubbed Costner’s character “Wet Max”), it’s great, and far more entertaining than the world wanted it to be.

Why did everyone want Waterworld to fail, and rub their hands delightedly every time something went wrong with it? 

Kevin Costner, is why.

Costner had gone from obscurity to A-lister in a really short amount of time. 1985’s Silverado was his first substantial film role, he was headlining films two years later, and two years after that he was the star and director of Dances With Wolves , winning both the Best Picture and Best Director gongs at the 1990 Oscars. With this success came a bit of a backlash - Costner’s acting (or lack thereof) in Robin Hood : Prince Of Thieves was not received well by critics, and his limited range (which had served him well playing characters like The Untouchables ’ buttoned-down Elliott Ness) began to seem a bit tiresome. Was there really anything to him, or was he just lucky and handsome enough to make it?

And everything coming out about Waterworld suggested overkill. It was greenlit at a budget of $100m, equal to the previous year’s True Lies , a sum that had seemed unthinkable. Ultimately, the later film ended up costing nearly double that amount - the official figure given is $172 million, but the real figure is thought to be closer to $200 million.

Reports came out of Costner’s reportedly out-of-control ego taking over, wresting control from Prince Of Thieves director Kevin Reynolds, who later said, gloriously bitchily, in an interview that “In the future Costner should only appear in pictures he directs himself. That way he can always be working with his favorite actor and his favorite director.” 

Joss Whedon , later to create Buffy The Vampire Slayer and write and direct Avengers Assemble , described his time spent on-set doing emergency script doctoring as “seven weeks of hell”. He later said “I was there basically taking notes from Costner, who was very nice, fine to work with, but he was not a writer. I accomplished nothing. I wrote a few puns, and a few scenes that I can’t even sit through because they came out so bad.”

Kevin Costner: this dude has gills

Every story that came off the set was gleefully leapt on. Costner and co-stars Jeanne Tripplehorn and Tina Majorino all had incidents where they fell off boats and had to be rescued. Costner’s stunt double was washed out to sea. Several extras fell off sets and had to be saved. 

“A stunt man commuting to the set by jetski ran out of gas and was fifty miles out to sea by the time the Coast Guard picked him up” recalls Costner’s then-agent Michael Ovitz in his 2018 autobiography. This was all happily devoured by the press at the time, who nicknamed the film “Kevin’s Gate” and “Fishtar”, after the high-profile flops Heaven’s Gate and Ishtar .

The bad press clouded around the project like, to use an appropriately water-based simile, that stuff that supposedly makes swimming pools turn purple if you wee in them. Costner reportedly stayed in an extortionately expensive, impossibly luxurious beachfront villa during production while crew stayed in bare-bones no-frills accommodation, growing to hate their star. There were tales of crew members taking particular glee in throwing buckets of water into Costner’s face to maintain his perma-wet look between takes, and unsubstantiated rumours that he was demanding that his receding hairline be fixed in post-production using then-pioneering expensive digital technology.

This all made the film impossible to watch on its own merits - it couldn’t exist outside of its own larger narrative. You couldn’t just watch the story of The Mariner, a be-gilled loner in a post-apocalyptic flooded world, you had to watch Arrogant Movie Star Kevin Costner as The Mariner in A Poorly Thought-Through Folly, What An Idiot . 

Roger Ebert ’s review of the film, like most of them, begins with a gag about the budget: “In the old days in Hollywood, they used to brag about how much a movie cost. Now they apologize. There’s been so much publicity about this movie’s budget that a review of the story seems beside the point; I should just print the spreadsheets.”

We’ve all been there

Adjusted for inflation and seen from 2018, it’s at the barely remarkable number 11 on a list of the most expensive films ever made. Films like John Carter , Spider-Man 3 and the third and fourth Pirates Of The Caribbean  movies all cost more but don’t have the same reputation, plus were all based on pre-existing properties . Now that, 23 years after Waterworld ’s release, we can watch it on Netflix without having to get up, it can exist outside of its money-based meta-narrative and be enjoyed in it own terms. and there’s plenty to enjoy.

The world built for the film is amazing. People love getting excited by practical effects these days - it’s seen as being more legitimate, more creative, more legit, to build things in order jump off them, blow them up or smash them over people’s heads than to construct everything digitally. A large part of the criticisms that are generally levelled at action-packed major releases now is that they inevitably descend into identikit CGI-filled climaxes, disparate elements digitally composited together into some semblance of a battle, all taking place in a landscape that exists only as a collection of ones and zeroes.

If Waterworld was made now, the practical side of it would be hailed as incredibly impressive. Huge floating sets were constructed at massive cost, including a giant atoll, a huge part of which ended up sinking. A huge transforming trimaran, a reconstruction of the Exxon Valdez , big silly hot-air balloons, bungee jumps, zipwires, awesome surfing stunts - it’s badass. There’s a Waterworld stunt show that still runs at Universal Studios in Hollywood, Japan and Singapore, because massive fights on water are just hella cool.

The late, great Dennis Hopper was in the scenery-chewing don’t-give-a-shit period of his career by this point - he did this, Speed and Super Mario Bros . over a three-year period, shouting his way into a comfy retirement. Speed is, obviously, one of the greatest action movies ever made, but Hopper’s output at the time suggests he’d have given exactly the same performance if it was a straight-to-VHS Van Damme picture. In Waterworld , as the growling, despotic Deacon, he’s at his f*ck-this-pay-me best, bringing the sort of big-ass panto-style performance that makes Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood seem phoned in.

Kevin Costner, playing opposite him, is not funny, and has never been funny, and that’s perfect for this: if the hero employed even a modicum of the hammy no-holds-barred zaniness of Hopper’s villain, the film would feel like it was insulting the viewer. His woodenness suits his monosyllabic loner perfectly. Elsewhere, there’s a pre-fame Jack Black giving us an early taste of his larger-than-life screen presence, the sadly departed character actor Michael Jeter playing a Michael Jeter role, and a tiny little old man in an oil tanker who haunts some viewers to this day and inspired a scene in Spaced . (Jeanne Tripplehorn, who is a great actor, is given nothing to work with at all, and Tina Majorino later turned out to be really good in Napoleon Dynamite but is genuinely irritating in this - not through any fault of her own, she’s ten years old and her role is crap.)

Rein it in mate

One of the best things about the movie, the most punk-rock way of starting a film ever, is also probably at least slightly responsible for turning people off: Kevin Costner is introduced drinking his own piss. Film critic Nathan Rabin later wrote : “It’s possible that there are more off-putting ways to introduce the hero of a giant would-be blockbuster, but until some Costner-level auteur of the future develops the testicular fortitude to introduce a hero raping a nun, defecating on an American flag, or attending to painful hemorrhoids, Waterworld ’s record for queasiest introduction of a stoic hero appears secure.” 

He’s wrong - it’s amazing, he drinks piss. An actor whose main appeal is his all-American handsomeness is in a film where he has gills and webbed feet and drinks piss, it is mad, it is amazing.

The 1990s were the early days of the internet, where pedants were first discovering the joys of coming together to tear things to shreds, and various ridiculous plot points were deconstructed on slow-loading message boards. Machines in the film run on crude oil, which nothing could run on. The baddies all constantly smoke cigarettes left over from current times, which would have long ago decomposed. They do this while living in a world where paper is invaluable and sought after, it never occurring to anyone that that’s what fags are made of . And, most dramatically of all, if all the ice in the sea melted, sea levels would only rise by a few hundred feet - enough to irreversibly change life on Earth, certainly, but there’d still be an awful lot of land, and the idea that the world would forget there was ever anything other than ocean is kind of lunacy (in the film, the only dry land is the top of Mount Everest).

But does that matter in a world where the characters of the X-Men films age two years every decade, where highbrow SF like Sunshine completely ignores the concept of gravity because it’s fiddly to work out, where the Marvel Cinematic Universe writes and rewrites the rules of reality whenever it fancies? The MCU has magic, Valhalla and time travel in it and we eat that up with a spoon, but a film where there’s slightly deeper water than there would be in real life is too much for people?

Waterworld: arguably a film that could benefit from some hair product

Look, Waterworld isn’t the best film in the world. There are a hundred better films on Netflix. But it’s its own thing, an original, self-contained, ambitious, action-packed adventure with some really fun sci-fi ideas, a great bit of opening narration, a beautifully unhinged villain, a terrific score by James Newton Howard and lots of big stuff falling over. 

It’s seen as a bit of a punchline, shorthand for the kind of failure you can get when someone gets too big for their boots, but seen just as what it is, it’s a big silly laugh, and the more films like it, the better.

And can Jim Carrey in The Cable Guy be wrong?

DRY LAND IS NOT A MYTH!

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Sydney sweeney is euphoric about ‘euphoria’ return, ‘waterworld’ follow-up tv series in the works with dan trachtenberg to direct.

By Denise Petski

Denise Petski

Senior Managing Editor

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A follow-up to Universal’s 1995 movie Waterworld , starring Kevin Costner, is in the works for the small screen. The project, which hails from original producer John Davis and his Davis Entertainment is in very early development at UCP , sources tell Deadline. Davis tells Collider, which first reported the project, that Dan Trachtenberg ( 10 Cloverfield Lane) is attached to direct.

The series would pick up with the film’s characters 20 years later. No platform is attached, but sources close to the project say it could potentially be set at UCP sister streamer Peacock. Talks are currently underway with potential writers.

UCP would not comment.

Set in a post-apocalyptic future ravaged by climate change, the film revolves around a world that is covered in water. The polar ice cap has completely melted and the sea level has risen over 25,000 feet, covering nearly every inch of land. Costner stars as the Mariner, a drifter who sails the Earth in his trimaran. Costner also was a producer on the film, which was co-written by Peter Rader and David Twohy and directed by Kevin Reynolds. Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tina Majorino and the late Dennis Hopper also starred.

At the time, Waterworld was the most expensive film ever made. It opened to mediocre reviews, getting praise for its futuristic setting and premise but criticism for its execution and acting performances. It was unable to recoup its massive budget at the box office, but it later became profitable due to video and other post-cinema sales. The film was nominated for a Best Sound Oscar at the 68th Academy Awards.

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The Wildest Things That Happened On The Set Of Waterworld

Kevin Reynolds' 1995 film "Waterworld" was, at the time of its release, the most expensive movie ever made. Thanks to a slew of production problems (not least of which was a floating set that persistently sank) the movie's budget ballooned, ultimately costing Universal Pictures about $172 million. Adjusted for inflation, that's about $306 million. It would be only two years later that James Cameron's "Titanic" would be released, surpassing "Waterworld" in terms of budget; "Titanic" cost, when adjusted, about $338 million. Since then, only five films have cost more than "Titanic." Three of them have the word "Avengers" in the title. The other two have the word "Pirates." 

The production problems on "Waterworld" were well-publicized, and attentive readers of the Los Angeles Times were following the expansion of the film's cost from an already expensive $100 million to $135 million and beyond. Words like "chaos" and "difficult" and "out of control" began leaking from the set. One anonymous crew member pointed out that no one was in charge. It certainly didn't help that "Waterworld" was buffeted by inclement weather. The Washington Post mockingly nicknamed the film "Fishtar" after Elaine May's notorious 1987 bomb "Ishtar," and others took to calling it "Kevin's Gate," after Michael Cimino's even more notorious 1980 turkey " Heaven's Gate ."

When it finally came time for the film's release, "Waterworld" was a neatly pre-packaged fiasco, ready to fail. Many young people at the time attended "Waterworld" just to witness what a film that expensive might look like. That "Waterworld" ended up being a mild success was a relief all around. 

The polar ice caps have melted

The premise for "Waterworld" was cleanly explained in a striking trailer. Narrator  James Earl Jones explains in voiceover that, thanks to climate change, the Earth's polar ice caps have melted, causing water levels to rise all over the world, swallowing any semblance of dry land. Humanity, during the cataclysm, moved onto ramshackle floating sea forts, derelict oil tankers, and homemade catamarans. By A.D. 2500, humans have pretty much forgotten that land ever existed, and the world is essentially a post-apocalyptic wasteland akin to George Miller's "The Road Warrior," only at sea. 

Kevin Costner plays a mysterious drifter called simply The Mariner who has a mysterious pot of dirt (a rare commodity indeed) as well as a set of rudimentary gills. It's only been a few centuries, but humanity is already evolving. Waterworld is also populated by a tribe of evil pirates called Smokers — so named for their cigarette habit — led by Dennis Hopper.

"Waterworld" was going to be filmed entirely at sea, an idea that no one less than Steven Spielberg discouraged. Shooting on water is difficult, and the location led to multiple expensive disasters. 

For one, the multimillion dollar set, built in an enormous offshore tank off the coast of Hawaii, was hit by a hurricane during productions, leading to the entire thing sinking to the bottom and requiring a second one to be built. The cost of the sinking set led to Costner investing $22 million of his own personal cash into the production. The sunken set also ended up preventing certain scenes from being filmed, and 30 pages ended up being cut from the script. Common wisdom dictates that to have potentially been 30 minutes of screen time. 

But despite his own financial commitment, Costner didn't make things easy on the production. 

The high Costner of living

Costner's ego was, reportedly (according to the Fail Blog on Cheezburger.com ), a little out of control on " Waterworld ," which slowed production down considerably. There were rumors that Costner, who was experiencing male pattern baldness in 1994, asked the film's SFX department to go in with computers and digitally add hair. These rumors are unsubstantiated, but were weirdly believable given other stories from the set. Evidently, Costner, a producer on the film, wanted either Robert Zemeckis or Lawrence Kasdan to direct. When neither of them was interested, he asked for Kevin Reynolds specifically. 

Despite being personally selected, Reynolds and Costner fought endlessly on the set. Costner, unhappy with what Reynolds had shot, ended up serving as an uncredited editor on "Waterworld." Reynolds had evidently shot a three-hour version of "Waterworld," but the theatrical cut was a mere 135 minutes. 

There was another strange local financial problems. Food and shelter were provided by local Hawaiian businesses, and they evidently wildly overcharged the production. Costner himself stayed in a local waterfront villa that charged $4,500 a night. This was after the film's production schedule had been expanded from an already-lengthy 90 days to 200 days, which works out at $900,000 just for the star's accommodation. Costner, at the very least, was committed. He ended up on set for 157 days of the 200 day schedule, only taking Sundays off. 

O jellyfish, where is thy sting?

Famed professional surfer Laird Hamilton, featured in Stacey Peralta's 2004 documentary film "Riding Giants," appeared in "Waterworld" as The Mariner's stunt double. Laird would commute to work on a jetski, and did a lot of diving, swimming, and operation of the Mariner's signature trimaran. Relentless bad weather made operation of the trimaran — as well as simply being on set — a constant danger. Costner had already almost died during a sudden squall, and Laird was also once ripped out to sea on it. Laird also reported being stung several times by jellyfish during production. 

Another issue that no one had seemed to think about during production was the issue of lavatories. None of the boats nor the expensive "atoll" set were equipped with toilets, and regular bathroom breaks needed to be scheduled for actors and crew to be transported to a nearby ship. 

Despite all of its production problems and horrible reputation, "Waterworld" ultimately made its money back. It was adapted into comic books, Nintendo games, and a rather fun pinball machine. The film's most lasting legacy is the "Waterworld" stunt spectacular at Universal Studios Hollywood , Japan, Singapore, and Beijing. The stunt show initially opened in Hollywood in October 1995, a few months after the film's release. Although the movie was considered a fiasco, the live stunt show was a hit, and continues to run in Hollywood to this day. 

film, tv, streaming, 4K UHD & Blu-ray, music and pop culture

Critical popcorn

Waterworld 4k uhd review: dir. kevin reynolds [arrow video].

Waterworld 4K UHD is available to pre-order now from Arrow Video.

After the success of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves , Kevin Costner and director Kevin Reynolds re-teamed for what would become the most expensive film ever made at the time: Waterworld . While it wasn’t a huge financial hit during its theatrical run, the sci-fi epic has become something of a cult classic in the years since, making this new 4K UHD release from Arrow Video an enticing purchase for fans.

In a post-apocalyptic future where the polar icecaps have melted and the world is submerged underwater, the Mariner (Costner) encounters Helen ( Jeanne Tripplehorn ) and the young Enola ( Tina Majorino ) – who has a tattoo of a map to ‘Dryland’ on her back. With the Smokers – led by the Deacon ( Dennis Hopper ) – after the map to ‘Dryland’, the Mariner must guide Helen and Enola across the seas in his trimaran in the hope of finding it…

The first thing to admire about Waterworld is its production values: the reported $172 million budget is up on screen for the entire duration. Almost the entire film takes place on the water, and with CGI still in its early days, these sequences were shot on location off the coat of Hawaii, feeling like an old school Hollywood epic. The Mariner’s trimaran, the atoll, the jet skis and more are immaculately put together, and clearly (at least somewhat) functional, resulting in some unique visuals and impressive practical effects work. It’s difficult not to feel disappointed when the action shifts to a soundstage or what is obviously dryland (the tanker sequence), although the third act boasts some tremendous explosions and stunt work. It’s no wonder that Universal adapted the film into a stunt show for their theme parks (which at the time of this review is still running). Waterworld definitely has a Mad Max influence, but manages to stand on its own thanks to its interesting production design and creative action set-pieces.

While Waterworld ‘s premise is unique, the story does ultimately boil down to some all-too-familiar tropes. Kevin Costner is the strong, silent type as the Mariner (not unlike Mad Max himself), who’s initially reluctant to take Helen and Enola with him on the trimaran before developing a surrogate father relationship with the child and a romance with Helen. It’s fairly standard stuff, although it does help to ground the premise and post-apocalyptic world-building for the audience. Costner proves himself a capable and enthusiastic action star, while Jeanne Tripplehorn manages to make her potentially one-note love interest compelling. Tina Majorino does incredibly well with what she’s given, although Enola’s backstory is left quite vague, either for ambiguity or because of the various edits made for the theatrical cut (more on that later). Dennis Hopper , meanwhile, makes for a fun boo-hiss villain with his army of jet skiing Smokers.

Overall, Waterworld is fun, gonzo sci-fi blockbuster that’s well worth watching for its visuals alone. The premise is interesting (and still just as relevant nearly 30 years later), its massive budget is up on screen in a spectacular way, and the cast are all very committed. Perhaps the story is a little derivative, but it’s an exciting popcorn flick with big ideas and an epic scope.

Special Features

This new release of Waterworld from Arrow Video features the theatrical cut of the film in 4K UHD, with a Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) presentation and optional Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo sound mixes. Waterworld was previously released by Universal on 4K UHD with a HDR10 presentation and a DTS:X sound mix, although this would appear to be a completely new remaster, presumably working from the previous HD remaster Arrow Video completed for the 2019 Blu-ray release.

Waterworld ‘s 4K presentation does wonders for the look of the film, allowing for a more detailed look at the intricate costume and production design, and showcasing the fantastic practical effects work throughout. Some of the CGI shots look noticeably softer and grainier (the mutant shark attack, the shots of the balloon, etc.), presumably due to the nature of the digitised effects work. The picture retains its filmic texture, while the new Dolby Vision grade is particularly vibrant (at least comparing it to how the film looks in the special features), but never over-saturated. James Newton Howard ‘s sweeping score and the Oscar-nominated sound work is complimented with the new Dolby Atmos mix, although the optional alternatives will please audiences wanting a more authentic sound mix.

Also included on the 4K disc is Maelstrom: The Odyssey of Waterworld , an engaging and thorough feature-length making-of documentary featuring new (as of 2018) interviews with various members of the production team, including director Kevin Reynolds and original screenwriter Peter Rader , alongside contemporary interviews with Costner, Tripplehorn and Majorino and extensive behind the scenes footage. It’s an excellent documentary, and well worth watching for fans of the film. Dances With Waves is a 1995 featurette on Waterworld ; Global Warnings sees film critic Glenn Kenny explore the subgenre of ecologically themed end-of-the-world films; there are stills galleries for production, promotional and visual effects photography; and the original trailers are included for posterity. While all of these extras appear to be in 1080p, it’s still great to have them included on the 4K disc so fans don’t have to swap discs over.

Exclusive to the Limited Edition release are two bonus Blu-ray discs, previously released by Arrow Video, including the US TV cut of Waterworld (running 40 minutes longer) and the extended European Ulysses cut remastered in HD with optional 5.1 and 2.0 sound mixes. It’s great that these are included in the set, although a shame that the apparently definitive Ulysses cut isn’t in 4K.

The Limited Edition set from Arrow Video includes packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper , a 60-page perfect bound book featuring writing on the film by David J. Moore and Daniel Griffith , and archival articles, a double-sided fold-out poster and six collector’s postcards.

Waterworld 4K UHD is released on 26 June and is available to order here or from Arrow Video

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