Kevin Costner Furious Over 10-Second Cut From $46 Million Box Office Flop
Kevin Costner Clashed with Universal Over 10-Second Cut in For Love of the Game
Kevin Costner was far from pleased during the promotion of 1999’s For Love of the Game, going public with his frustration after director Sam Raimi cut ten seconds from the final film. The drama, part of Raimi’s efforts to branch out beyond his Evil Dead roots (alongside projects like The Quick and the Dead and A Simple Plan), was also the third baseball-centered movie in Costner’s filmography. He played an aging pitcher reflecting on his life during a perfect game — a role that marked a return to safer territory following the critical and commercial failure of The Postman.
Despite the pedigree, For Love of the Game underperformed at the box office, grossing only $42 million against its $50 million budget (around $102 million when adjusted for inflation, via Box Office Mojo). Reviews were mixed at best, with a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Adding to the trouble, Costner openly criticized the studio before the film’s release, damaging promotional efforts.
Costner vs. Universal: The Cut That Sparked a Fallout
In an interview with Newsweek (via The Los Angeles Times), Costner blasted Universal for complying with the MPAA’s demand to remove two F-bombs in order to secure a PG-13 rating. Costner believed the studio should have pushed back:
“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.”
The cut lines included a bartender cussing out a rude sports fan and Kelly Preston’s character telling Costner’s pitcher, “I just don’t f*** like that,” after they sleep together. In the final version, “f***” was changed to “screw.”
Though minor in runtime, the cuts sparked a major dispute. Costner had waived his usual $20 million fee in exchange for profit points and final cut privileges. However, his agreement stipulated that the film remain PG-13 and under 2 hours and 10 minutes — making the edits legally permissible. Still, he resented how the studio handled the MPAA’s demands.
Director Sam Raimi backed the studio’s decision but sympathized with Costner:
“We got a big laugh with the bartender’s line, and it’s a great moment. But the MPAA wouldn’t allow it for PG-13. I understand Kevin’s feelings — it’s a personal film to him. I even used home movies of him and his dad in the opening credits. But I’m happy with the final cut.”
Universal, however, was less tolerant. Co-chairman Stacey Snider publicly rebuked Costner, stating:
“Kevin’s not the director, and it’s not fair for him to hijack a $50 million asset. We backed the filmmaker, and his name is Sam Raimi — not Kevin Costner.”
Ironically, Universal later offered to pay Costner his full fee as a peace offering — which he declined.
Other Cuts: A Shower Scene and Studio Sensitivity
Another scene left on the cutting room floor featured a full-frontal shot of Costner in the shower. It was reportedly removed after test audiences laughed at the actor’s nude appearance, though Costner himself reportedly had no issue with its removal.
Would the Cut Scenes Have Changed the Movie?
Ultimately, it’s doubtful these small edits would have changed the film’s fate. For Love of the Game never fully committed to a darker or edgier tone; the additional profanity may have clashed with its sentimental, family-friendly atmosphere.
Still, Costner’s resistance shows how deeply he cared about the film — even if the final product didn’t connect with audiences. His stand was rooted in artistic principle, not commercial gain. Whether that makes the film better or worse is up for debate — but it certainly added drama off-screen as well as on.
