Kevin Costner has had a long and often unpredictable run in Hollywood. From early career critical acclaim to high-profile studio projects that struggled at the box office, his filmography is full of unique stories.
This quiz covers those highs and lows. You will answer questions about his directorial choices, his work on the expansive Yellowstone series, and the films that define his complex reputation among critics and audiences.
If you enjoy this, check out our pages on directors who act, the history of Oscar winners, and classic Western films.
Which project earned Kevin Costner both the Best Picture and Best Director Academy Awards in 1991?
Dances with Wolves
Dances with Wolves
Waterworld
Waterworld
Open Range
Open Range
The Postman
The Postman
Which 1995 film experienced severe production delays and budget overruns that led critics to label it a ‘box office disaster’ before release?
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
The Postman
The Postman
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Waterworld
Waterworld
Which actor and director saw his career trajectory shift from critical darling to box office liability following the commercial failure of 1997’s The Postman?
George Lucas
George Lucas
Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Which of these films, directed by Kevin Costner, was his directorial debut and won multiple Academy Awards?
The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption
Unforgiven
Unforgiven
Dances with Wolves
Dances with Wolves
The Godfather
The Godfather
Based on the novel by David Brin, which post-apocalyptic film is often cited as a prime example of massive Hollywood hubris?
Waterworld
Waterworld
Open Range
Open Range
Horizon: An American Saga
Horizon: An American Saga
The Postman
The Postman
In the television series ‘Yellowstone’, what is the name of the patriarch character played by Kevin Costner?
John Dutton
John Dutton
Ray Kinsella
Ray Kinsella
Bill Meekes
Bill Meekes
Jack Mercer
Jack Mercer
Which prominent actor self-funded significant portions of his western epic series ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ to maintain creative control?
George Lucas
George Lucas
Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
James Cameron
James Cameron
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Which 2003 film marked a successful directorial return for Kevin Costner after a period of intense critical scrutiny?
Open Range
Open Range
Waterworld
Waterworld
Dances with Wolves
Dances with Wolves
The Postman
The Postman
Who is the co-creator and chief architect of the ‘Yellowstone’ franchise?
Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky
Taylor Sheridan
Taylor Sheridan
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
David Fincher
David Fincher
The ranch in the series ‘Yellowstone’ is primarily established as being located in which U.S. state?
Montana
Montana
Colorado
Colorado
Wyoming
Wyoming
Texas
Texas
Which ambitious project was intended to be released in multiple chapters throughout 2024?
The Postman
The Postman
Field of Dreams
Field of Dreams
Waterworld
Waterworld
Horizon: An American Saga
Horizon: An American Saga
Which 2024 film serves as a notable, modern example of a director self-financing a massive production?
The Outsiders
The Outsiders
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II
Megalopolis
Megalopolis
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now
Which veteran actor co-starred with Kevin Costner in the 2003 film ‘Open Range’?
Sam Elliott
Sam Elliott
Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall
Which major studio distributed the 1995 film ‘Waterworld’?
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
TriStar Pictures
TriStar Pictures
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
Who wrote the science fiction novel upon which ‘The Postman’ is based?
David Brin
David Brin
Larry McMurtry
Larry McMurtry
Louis L’Amour
Louis L’Amour
Cormac McCarthy
Cormac McCarthy
Which major Academy Award, besides Best Director, did ‘Dances with Wolves’ win at the 63rd Academy Awards?
Best Picture
Best Picture
Best Visual Effects
Best Visual Effects
Best Actor
Best Actor
Best Original Song
Best Original Song
In what year did the series ‘Yellowstone’ premiere?
2018
2018
2016
2016
2020
2020
2022
2022
In what year was the film adaptation of ‘The Postman’ released in theaters?
1995
1995
1990
1990
1997
1997
2000
2000
Which Kevin Costner film is famously set almost entirely on a man-made artificial atoll in a flooded future?
Waterworld
Waterworld
The Postman
The Postman
Open Range
Open Range
Horizon: An American Saga
Horizon: An American Saga
What is the central industry and way of life depicted in ‘Yellowstone’?
Government conspiracies
Government conspiracies
Space exploration
Space exploration
Corporate espionage
Corporate espionage
The ranching lifestyle
The ranching lifestyle
During the mid-90s, ‘Waterworld’ became the most expensive film ever made at that time with a budget approximately reaching:
150 million USD
150 million USD
175 million USD
175 million USD
200 million USD
200 million USD
235 million USD
235 million USD
Across his career, Kevin Costner has frequently focused his directorial efforts on which specific genre?
Sci-Fi Thrillers
Sci-Fi Thrillers
Rom-Coms
Rom-Coms
Westerns
Westerns
Musicals
Musicals
You can do better
Not bad
Great!
When you finish this, you might enjoy our collections on troubled film productions, notable box office flops, or profiles of famous Hollywood legends.





