Kevin Costner’s Infamous Sci-Fi Bomb Waterworld Quietly Heads to a New Streaming Home Soon

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He’s one of the most beloved actors ever, known for his work both in front of and behind the camera. While he excelled in many types of films, he’s particularly remembered for his influential Western.

However, not all of his science fiction movies have been successful. A few years after winning the Best Director Oscar for 1990’s Dances with Wolves, he appeared in the 1995 sci-fi film Waterworld. While the movie initially failed at the box office, it will be available to stream on Prime Video starting January 1, 2026, giving it a new opportunity to find an audience.

As a movie fan, I remember there was a lot of buzz around this film. It had a big budget and a really interesting creative team – Kevin Reynolds directing, and the script was a collaboration between Peter Rader and David Twohy, building on an original idea from Rader. It felt like all the pieces were there for something special.

The movie Waterworld takes place far in the future, after the ice caps have melted and flooded almost all of the Earth’s surface. It centers around a lone wanderer, played by Kevin Costner, who travels the seas on a three-hulled boat.

Following the complete thaw of the polar ice caps, the world is mostly covered in water. While some people have managed to survive, very few have actually adapted to this new ocean world – most notably, a group known as the Mariner, who have developed the ability to breathe underwater using gills.

Costner plays a solitary character who unexpectedly becomes friends with Helen and her young charge, Enola, while they’re fleeing a dangerous, man-made island. They’re quickly chased by a shadowy group called the Smokers, who believe Enola knows the way to the legendary Dryland.

The movie was made with a surprisingly large budget of $175 million. Its ambitious scope and the fact that the entire story unfolds at sea presented significant hurdles during production, leading to increased costs and scheduling setbacks.

The movie Waterworld got a mixed reaction from critics and viewers. While some appreciated its imaginative future world and overall idea, others found the acting and how it was made to be lacking. Critics give it a 60% rating, but audiences are less impressed, scoring it at 44%.

Despite its large budget, Waterworld wasn’t a big success. While it earned $264.2 million – enough to cover the $175 million it cost to make – it didn’t make enough to be truly profitable, leaving Universal Studios disappointed. It was still one of the top ten highest-grossing films of 1995. Although it never became a beloved cult film, Waterworld later found an audience through home video and streaming.

Could Waterworld Continue?

Last November, Dan Trachtenberg, the director known for his work on the Predator films, discussed the possibility of a new installment. He was originally considered for a movie, but instead, he proposed continuing the Predator story through a video game.

Trachtenberg shared his desire for a Waterworld video game, envisioning an open-world, third-person action-adventure title. He specifically wants a sequel to the film, not a remake. As of now, there are no plans announced for a continuation of the story in video game form.

Waterworld premieres on Prime Video on Jan. 1, 2026.

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2025-12-29 05:10