Kevin Costner's Failed Blockbuster Waterworld Is Streaming Now On Netflix

A costly post-apocalyptic Western that hurt Kevin Costner’s career is waiting to be rediscovered on Netflix. The Kevin Costner movie run of the 1980s and 1990s is one of the healthiest any A-lister has ever had. Costner blended weighty epics like Dances with Wolves and JFK with crowd-pleasing fare like The Bodyguard, and for a time, he was a guaranteed box-office draw.

The Kevin Costner Western run also began in earnest with Dances with Wolves, and has continued all the way to Yellowstone and his Horizon saga. Unfortunately, Costner’s career began to slow after his tepidly received biopic Wyatt Earp bombed, and by the time The Postman delivered in 1997, his movie star status was never quite the same.

Regardless, Costner is a true icon and has starred in, and directed, some fantastic movies. While a $100 million budget now sounds tame by Hollywood standards, it was almost unheard of back in the early 1990s. James Cameron courted controversy when his action comedy True Lies became the first blockbuster to offically cross that line, but that’s nothing compared to what happened with Costner’s Waterworld.

The pitch for this post-apocalyptic adventure can be summed up as “Mad Max on the water,” and its budget was initially set at $100 million. Owing to the difficulty of filming on open water and various behind-the-scenes clashes, Waterworld’s budget swelled to $175 million by the time it wrapped.

This briefly made it the most expensive movie ever, which made it a target for critics. Waterworld was greeted with bad reviews, and while it made over $260 million worldwide, it was still considered a huge bomb compared to its budget.

Kevin Costner’s Failed Blockbuster Waterworld Is Streaming On Netflix

Over 30 years on from its release and the controversy that surrounded it, Costner’s ambitious blockbuster has found a loving cult audience. Waterworld is streaming now on Netflix, where both newcomers and fans alike can rediscover its incredible setpieces and visuals, alongside the bizarre cast of characters who populated it.

The movie was produced during a time when blockbusters were allowed to be a little weirder. Costner’s Mariner is introduced drinking his own filtered urine, and he’s a thoroughly unlikable protagonist until about the midway point. Likewise, Dennis Hopper is allowed to go very hammy as the twisted villain, and he’s a true delight.

What’s truly special about Waterworld is how it was largely produced without CGI. The cast and crew really went out on the water and filmed those epic stunts, and the harshness of the conditions in which it was shot gives it a tactical quality modern blockbusters miss.

Why Kevin Costner’s Waterworld Was So Controversial In 1995

There was a perfect storm of issues that led to Waterworld’s reception. At the time, Costner had already weathered the bad press surrounding Dances with Wolves, which was expected to be a flop; instead, it was a huge critical and commercial success that swept the Academy Awards.

By this point, the star had also developed a reputation as a perfectionist and someone who was tough to work with. He had previously locked director Kevin Reynolds out of the editing room on Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, so it came as a surprise when the duo reunited for Waterworld. To the shock of nobody, the actor and director clashed ferociously while making the film, with the experience of filming on the water adding to their stress.

Kevin Costner and Kevin Reynolds would later patch up their differences again and reunite on the acclaimed miniseries Hatfields & McCoys.

Reports of the chaos that went into producing Waterworld and its ever-increasing budget did little to help Costner’s reputation either. Even though the final product was flawed, it’s a perfectly entertaining adventure. Regardless, it got ripped apart by critics and columnists, who felt it was time Costner was taken down a few pegs.

Waterworld Has Been Reclaimed Over 30 Years Later

For his part, Costner has always been a champion of Waterworld and has dubbed it a “cool movie.” Despite walking out on it during post-production, Reynolds also enjoys the final film, which has since earned a sizable cult. Again, it’s not flawless, but it’s moviemaking on a grand scale, and every cent of its considerable budget is up on the screen.

It’s gotten to the point where there have been talks of a Waterworld TV series or some other kind of reboot – something that would have been unthinking during its original reception. Those who wish to judge Costner’s epic for themselves can check it out now on Netflix.