The original Waterworld film was released by Universal Pictures in 1995. The concept is a compelling one—the ocean rising above land, with survivors forced to live on rafts and fight for drinking water. John Davis, one of the original film's producers, believes that as well, as he has begun talking with Universal Television about the development of a Waterworld television series for streaming.
The original Waterworld takes place many years after the melting of the polar ice cap. The film starred Kevin Costner (Clark Kent's father in Warner Bros.'s Man of Steel) as The Drifter, a lone sailor trading dirt for supplies. He decides to protect a girl named Enola and her guardian Helen, who are both being pursued by The Smokers, a gang led by The Deacon, a villain who is played by the late Dennis Hopper. Once The Drifter discovers that Enola has a map leading to dry land tattooed on her back, he devotes himself to keeping the girl safe and away from The Deacon and his Smokers.
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John Davis of Davis Productions will be producing the Waterworld series along with co-producer Larry Gordon and The Equalizer TV series producer John Fox. 10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg, who is also attached to the Predator origin story, Skull, is on board as an episode director for the series, which is reportedly in the early stages of development. Davis wants the series to be available on a streaming service, which would likely be Comcast's Peacock given the involvement of Universal Television. Costner is not attached to the project at this time.
Universal Television is responsible for producing some of the most exciting television series in recent memory, including Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, Ted Lasso, and Peacock's Saved by the Bell reboot. The company also had the comedy musical series Schmigadoon! released on Apple TV Plus earlier this Summer, while other Universal Television shows due for release later in 2021 include Ordinary Joe, FBI: International, La Brea, and The Gilded Age.
The Mad Max-adjacent Waterworld may not have reached as many audiences as Universal might have wanted back in 1995. However, with a new series available on streaming, the tale of a flooded Earth may have another chance to shine.
As recent successes such as Netflix's adaptation of Sweet Tooth may be indicating, a Waterworld reboot might be able to find new audiences after all. If nothing else, it may feel like a more timely story considering the current environmental crisis.
Waterworld is currently in development
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Source: Collider