In 1995, the production of the sci-fi epic Waterworld became notorious for massive budget issues and a high-profile feud between its director and star.
This quiz focuses on the chaos behind the scenes, from sinking sets to the specific challenges of shooting at sea. We also touch on the science behind the marine elements, like jellyfish stings and atolls, featured in the story.
After you finish, check out our collections on troubled film productions, learn more about special effects techniques, or see how we categorize sci-fi and fantasy movies.
Which 1995 sci-fi film was infamous for its budget overruns and the sinking of its massive specialized sets?
The Abyss
The Abyss
Titanic
Titanic
Waterworld
Waterworld
Poseidon Adventure
Poseidon Adventure
Who was the director of the 1995 film ‘Waterworld’ who famously feuded with his lead actor?
Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
Kevin Reynolds
Kevin Reynolds
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
What is the term for a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or series of islets that surrounds a body of water called a lagoon?
Archipelago
Archipelago
Peninsula
Peninsula
Atoll
Atoll
Isthmus
Isthmus
In the context of Hollywood studio accounting, what term refers to the final income remaining after all production, marketing, and distribution expenses are subtracted?
Gross Profit
Gross Profit
Net Profit
Net Profit
Box Office Revenue
Box Office Revenue
Merchandising rights
Merchandising rights
Which common household substance is frequently recommended to neutralize the nematocysts of many types of jellyfish stings?
Freshwater
Freshwater
Rubbing alcohol
Rubbing alcohol
Vinegar
Vinegar
Ice packs
Ice packs
Where was the primary location for the filming of the atoll scenes in Waterworld?
Hawaii near Kona
Hawaii near Kona
Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
French Polynesia
French Polynesia
The Maldives
The Maldives
Approximately what was the final reported production budget for the movie ‘Waterworld’?
$100 million
$100 million
$300 million
$300 million
$175 million
$175 million
$235 million
$235 million
What occurred during the final stages of the Waterworld production due to the creative fallout between the lead actor and director?
The film was delayed by two years
The film was delayed by two years
The director was fired by the studio
The director was fired by the studio
The director quit during post-production
The director quit during post-production
The star took over directorial duties to finish the film
The star took over directorial duties to finish the film
Which organism, often mistakenly called a jellyfish, is actually a siphonophore known for its painful sting?
Portuguese man o’ war
Portuguese man o’ war
Lion’s mane jellyfish
Lion’s mane jellyfish
Box jellyfish
Box jellyfish
Moon jellyfish
Moon jellyfish
How was the ‘atoll’ portrayed in the film’s production despite being set in a post-apocalyptic ocean?
Artificial structure built in a seawater tank
Artificial structure built in a seawater tank
Atoll in the Indian Ocean
Atoll in the Indian Ocean
Coral island in the Pacific
Coral island in the Pacific
Floating research station
Floating research station
What is the consensus on the financial performance of ‘Waterworld’ in the years following its release?
The film never generated any actual profit due to excessive marketing costs
The film never generated any actual profit due to excessive marketing costs
International box office receipts never broke even
International box office receipts never broke even
The film became profitable after accounting for international sales and home video, despite initially being called a flop
The film became profitable after accounting for international sales and home video, despite initially being called a flop
Domestic box office income was minimal
Domestic box office income was minimal
What was the greatest logistical challenge faced by the production crew when building the sinking sets?
Increased surface area of the set
Increased surface area of the set
Corrosion from saltwater exposure
Corrosion from saltwater exposure
Deep-sea pressure challenges
Deep-sea pressure challenges
Difficulty of filming in choppy, open-ocean conditions
Difficulty of filming in choppy, open-ocean conditions
How is ‘Waterworld’ primarily viewed by film historians and fans today?
Box office flop
Box office flop
Cult classic status earned years later
Cult classic status earned years later
Critical darling
Critical darling
Winner of Best Picture Academy Award
Winner of Best Picture Academy Award
What branch of science is primarily responsible for studying the mechanisms of jellyfish stings?
Toxicology of jellyfish venom
Toxicology of jellyfish venom
Physiology of jellyfish tentacles
Physiology of jellyfish tentacles
The evolutionary history of the Great Barrier Reef
The evolutionary history of the Great Barrier Reef
Marine biology classification of cnidarians
Marine biology classification of cnidarians
Which weather-related disaster significantly contributed to the budget ballooning during the production of ‘Waterworld’?
Constant re-writes of the script during filming
Constant re-writes of the script during filming
The film was shot on a soundstage in Hollywood
The film was shot on a soundstage in Hollywood
The lead actor refused to work more than four hours a day
The lead actor refused to work more than four hours a day
The film’s sets were destroyed by a hurricane
The film’s sets were destroyed by a hurricane
In what year was the film ‘Waterworld’ released in theaters?
1998
1998
1995
1995
2000
2000
1992
1992
What is the natural geological process that leads to the formation of a real atoll?
Carbonate platforms
Carbonate platforms
Volcanic debris fields in shallow water
Volcanic debris fields in shallow water
Submerged continental shelves
Submerged continental shelves
Coral reef build-ups on subsiding volcanic islands
Coral reef build-ups on subsiding volcanic islands
Which of these definitions best describes ‘actual profit’ for a film studio?
The amount of money paid to the lead actor after a box office bonus
The amount of money paid to the lead actor after a box office bonus
The earnings left after subtracting all costs, including overhead, from total revenue
The earnings left after subtracting all costs, including overhead, from total revenue
Revenue minus variable costs and tax expenses
Revenue minus variable costs and tax expenses
Revenue minus fixed costs
Revenue minus fixed costs
What is the medical purpose of using vinegar on a jellyfish sting?
Cooling the affected area to reduce inflammation
Cooling the affected area to reduce inflammation
Preventing the venom from spreading to the nervous system
Preventing the venom from spreading to the nervous system
Removing the protein structures of the venom already in the skin
Removing the protein structures of the venom already in the skin
Stopping the release of additional venom from un-fired stinging cells
Stopping the release of additional venom from un-fired stinging cells
What was the long-term professional consequence of the Costner-Reynolds feud?
The studio forced them to direct a sequel together immediately
The studio forced them to direct a sequel together immediately
They became best friends immediately after the film’s success
They became best friends immediately after the film’s success
They publicly accused each other of financial mismanagement in court
They publicly accused each other of financial mismanagement in court
Kevin Costner and Kevin Reynolds did not work together again for many years until a 2012 miniseries
Kevin Costner and Kevin Reynolds did not work together again for many years until a 2012 miniseries
What was the approximate worldwide box office gross of ‘Waterworld’ during its original theatrical release?
$300 million worldwide
$300 million worldwide
$150 million worldwide
$150 million worldwide
$400 million worldwide
$400 million worldwide
$264 million worldwide
$264 million worldwide
Which of these is the world’s largest chain of atolls?
The Florida Keys, USA
The Florida Keys, USA
The Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia
The Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
You can do better
Not bad
Great!
If you want to keep playing, try our other quizzes about notable box office flops, browse through our iconic films collection, or look at how we document cinematography techniques.
