Kevin Costner Furious Over 10-Second Cut From $46 Million Box Office Bomb
Kevin Costner Was Furious Over 10-Second Cut From For Love of the Game
Kevin Costner didn’t hold back while promoting 1999’s For Love of the Game, venting his frustration after director Sam Raimi cut just ten seconds from the final film. The cut scenes involved two F-bombs—one delivered by a bartender and another by Kelly Preston’s character during an intimate moment with Costner’s protagonist. The studio made the change to secure a PG-13 rating, and Costner wasn’t happy.
For Love of the Game was part of director Sam Raimi’s effort to break away from his Evil Dead roots, following films like The Quick and the Dead and A Simple Plan. It also marked the third entry in Costner’s run of baseball films, casting him as a retiring pitcher reflecting on his life during what turns into a perfect game.
After the commercial failure of The Postman, this film was seen as a safer return to familiar territory for Costner. But it didn’t pan out: the movie grossed just $42 million (about $102 million today) against a $50 million budget. Reviews were lukewarm, with a 42% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Costner’s very public complaints about the film may not have helped its reception.
Costner Blasts Studio Over Creative Cuts
Ahead of the film’s release, Costner criticized Universal Pictures for not challenging the MPAA’s demand to remove the profanity in order to secure the PG-13 rating. According to Costner:
“For Universal, this movie has always been about the length and the rating. It’s never been about the content. You feel a studio would want to release the best version of the movie, not the one they think appeals to the biggest common denominator. […] Universal wasn’t even willing to try [to fight the MPAA]. They said it wouldn’t do any good. The love of the movies, I believe, is waning [in Hollywood].”
Costner took the situation seriously. He had waived his usual $20 million fee for the film in exchange for back-end profits and final cut approval. However, that agreement came with two stipulations: the movie had to remain PG-13 and couldn’t exceed 2 hours and 10 minutes. Once the studio decided not to contest the MPAA’s decision, Costner felt betrayed.
Despite the controversy, Raimi himself didn’t seem particularly upset about the edits. He said:
“I agree with Kevin—I miss the lines too. We got a big laugh with the bartender’s line, and it’s really a great moment. But the MPAA wouldn’t allow it under any circumstances if we wanted a PG-13. […] I understand Kevin’s feelings. It’s a very personal film to him—I even used home movies of him and his dad in the opening credits—but I’m very happy with the film.”
Studio Pushback and Tension Behind the Scenes
Universal’s co-chairman at the time, Stacey Snider, openly pushed back against Costner’s public criticism, saying:
“Kevin’s not the director, and it’s not fair for him to hijack a $50-million asset. […] I realize this is very much about principle for Kevin, but principle doesn’t mean that you never compromise. Our feeling is that we have backed the filmmaker—and his name is Sam Raimi, not Kevin Costner.”
Another scene that ended up on the cutting room floor involved a full-frontal shower shot of Costner, reportedly removed after test audiences laughed during the screening.
Would These Cuts Have Changed the Film?
Ultimately, For Love of the Game wasn’t a gritty sports drama—it was a heartfelt, family-friendly film. While the missing F-bombs and nudity may have added some edge, they likely would have clashed with the film’s overall tone. Still, it’s clear Costner cared deeply about the movie and wanted to preserve what he felt was its most honest and raw form.
Whether or not those 10 seconds would’ve made a difference at the box office is debatable—but for Costner, it was a matter of artistic integrity, and he stood by his vision, even if the final product didn’t quite hit a home run.
