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‘Waterworld’ Sequel Rising from the Deep

26 years after the post-apocalyptic film’s famous flop, a sequel series from producers John Davis and John Fox, and director Dan Trachtenberg, is poised to return us to our favorite climate change love story.

26 years after the post-apocalyptic thriller Waterworld hit theaters with a spectacular and painful belly flop, a live-action sequel series has risen from the deep. The films’ original producers John Davis and John Fox are partnering with director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) to resuscitate our favorite climate change love story.

Collider reports the series is expected to take place after the events of the 1995 movie, and though Davis didn't mention specific actors, he noted it would take place 20 years later with the same characters. Fox, Davis' producing partner at Davis Entertainment said, "We're not 100% sure on the approach to the show. But definitely, we're in the building stages right now. We’re talking to folks, but nobody's locked in yet. Dan's attached, we're breaking the story now and we're talking to a few different writers. And we should have a writer locked in, I would think, over the next couple of weeks."

Waterworld is set in a post-apocalyptic world where melting polar ice caps have covered the entire planet with water. Kevin Costner starred as the underwater-breathing mutant, The Mariner, who came to the aid of a woman, Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and child, Enola (Tina Majorino), seeking the fabled “dry land.” Tangles with the evil, one-eyed Deacon, played by Dennis Hopper, abounded.

The film was directed by Kevin Reynolds and written by Peter Rader and David Twohy. Prior to Titanic (1997), it film held the dubious distinction as the most expensive movie ($175 million) ever produced. It’s hard to soak in (sorry) just how bad the film was; it took a critical drubbing and was a box office disaster, often referred to as “Fishtar.” After a more successful home entertainment release, the film reportedly eventually became profitable for Universal.

During production, ocean sets sunk and floated away, storms wreaked havoc on the schedule, and Kevin Costner hurt his back doing his own stunts. During post-production, Reynolds ultimately walked away from his own film, stating, “Kevin Costner should only star in movies he directs. That way, he can work with his favorite actor and favorite director.”

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Lindsey is a social media producer who hopes to write something worth plagiarizing someday.