Between 1987 and 1992, Kevin Costner had a quite staggering run. From the brilliant Al Capone movie ‘The Untouchables’ and vastly underrated thriller ‘No Way Out,’ he starred in one quality hit after another, including ‘Field of Dreams,’ ‘Bull Durham,’ ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ and ‘JFK.’ Amongst his successes was 1990’s epic Western ‘Dances With Wolves’ which he starred in, directed and produced and for which he won the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars. Let’s not forget the huge blockbuster from 1992 ‘The Bodyguard’ where he appeared opposite Whitney Houston in ‘The Bodyguard.’
Costner’s career has taken a turn for the worse in the past decade though, with bit parts here and there, playing Clark Kent’s father in Man of Steel, starring in mediocre football movie Draft Day and a movie called Black or White, which we had to double check just to make sure it actually exists.
His biggest failure was a grand one and it happened in front of the whole movie industry.‘Waterworld’, which featured Costner as a man with gills looking for dry land in an ocean-covered dystopian future. Already known for being exacting and unafraid to push for what he wanted on a production, rumors started swirling about the blockbuster being in trouble when the film’s budget, $172 million (and a total outlay of $235 million once marketing and distribution costs are factored in), the film grossed $88 million at the North American box office.