Open Water (film)

For the series, see Open Water (film series).
Open Water
Theatrical release poster
Directed byChris Kentis
Written byChris Kentis
Produced byLaura Lau
Estelle Lau
Starring
CinematographyChris Kentis
Laura Lau
Edited byChris Kentis
Music byGraeme Revell
Production
companies
Plunge Pictures LLC
Eastgate Pictures
Distributed byLions Gate Films
Release dates
  • October 26, 2003 (2003-10-26) (HIFF)
  • August 6, 2004 (2004-08-06)
Running time
79 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$120,000-500,000
Box office$55.5 million

Open Water is a 2003 American survival horror thriller film. The story concerns an American couple who go scuba diving while on vacation, only to find themselves stranded miles from shore in shark-filled waters when the crew of their boat accidentally leaves them behind.

The film is loosely based on the true story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who in 1998 went out with a scuba diving group, Outer Edge Dive Company, on the Great Barrier Reef, and were accidentally left behind because the dive-boat crew failed to take an accurate headcount.[1][2]

The film was financed by the husband and wife team of writer/director Chris Kentis and producer Laura Lau, both avid scuba divers.[3] It cost $120,000[citation needed] to make and was bought by Lions Gate Entertainment for $2.5 million after its screening at the Sundance Film Festival. Lions Gate spent a further $8 million on distribution and marketing.[4] The film ultimately grossed $55.5 million worldwide (including $30 million from the North American box office alone).[5]

Before filming began, the Lonergans' experience was re-created for an episode of ABC's 20/20, and the segment was repeated after the release of Open Water. Clips from the film were also featured on NBC in "Troubled Waters", a Dateline episode (July 7, 2008) with Matt Lauer interviewing two professional divers, Richard Neely and Ally Dalton, who were left adrift at the Great Barrier Reef by a dive boat on May 21, 2008.[6]

  1. ^ Brady, Tara (13 September 2004). "Open Water". hotpress.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  2. ^ "Hollywood's 'Open Water' film earns rave reviews". cdnn.info. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008.
  3. ^ Bonin, Liane (2004-08-07). "Open Water: The new Jaws?". EW. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  4. ^ "Open Water - Box Office Data, Movie News, Cast Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 2013-12-16. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  5. ^ "Open Water (2004)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  6. ^ "Transcript of Troubled Waters". NBC News. 2008-07-07. Archived from the original on 2014-10-19. Retrieved 2013-03-28.