This week Jerry Bruckheimer effectively killed all other entertainment news. The mythical producer ambled onto The Rich Eisen Show and nonchalantly told him there is a quiet yet ongoing development of a Crimson Tide sequel. Yes, that Crimson Tide, the nuclear submasterpiece of 1995 which made claustrophobia cool, in which Denzel Washington battled it out with Gene Hackman to create the best submarine underwater chess movie ever.
It is not this sort of airy-fairy Hollywood non-commitment where they say, “Oh we are thinking about it.” Bruckheimer assured that a writer-director is already in the Navy consultations trying to be as authentic as possible. He revealed that a very good director-writer has been discussing with the Navy on what is happening in the water. The kicker? We have got Denzel. I think he would do it,–give him a good script.”
That’s Hollywood speak for “it’s happening, people.”
Here’s what makes this revelation genuinely wild: Tony Scott’s original “Crimson Tide” wasn’t just another submarine flick—it was a pressure-cooker thriller that weaponized two acting legends in a 30-year career-defining face-off. The film pitted Washington’s by-the-book XO against Hackman’s old-school, firebrand captain in a mutiny scenario that had audiences white-knuckling their armrests.
The original script came from Robert Towne, with uncredited polish by Quentin Tarantino (because of course it did), and featured a Hans Zimmer score that could make a submarine sandwich sound epic. It’s arguably one of the finest submarine movies ever made—a studio thriller that actually earned its reputation.
But here’s the fascinating part: Bruckheimer kept the writer-director’s identity “close to the vest.” If they’re already in Navy consultations, this project is farther along than anyone realized. The obvious guess would be Joseph Kosinski, but he’s juggling multiple projects. Christopher McQuarrie? Maybe. The secrecy suggests someone unexpected—or someone big enough to warrant the mystery.
Submarine sequels have a notorious track record. Remember “Hunt for Red October”? Spawned multiple Jack Ryan films, but none captured that original underwater tension. “Das Boot” tried a TV series decades later. Most naval follow-ups either go full Michael Bay explosion-fest or get lost in bureaucratic plotting.
But “Crimson Tide” has something these others don’t: a character-driven premise that can evolve. Washington’s character could realistically return as a seasoned commander facing new underwater politics. The 1995 film dealt with Cold War tensions—imagine what a 2025 sequel could explore with current global naval dynamics.
The real question isn’t whether they can recapture the magic—it’s whether modern audiences are ready for a thinking person’s submarine thriller in an era of CGI spectacle overload.
Bruckheimer doesn’t casually drop sequel bombs unless the pieces are already moving. With Navy consultations underway and Denzel’s interest confirmed, this feels less like Hollywood wishful thinking and more like an actual surfacing submarine.
The man who gave us “Top Gun: Maverick” clearly knows how to resurrect beloved military thrillers for modern audiences. If he can deliver a “Crimson Tide” sequel that honors the original’s chess-match intensity while updating the stakes for 2025, we might witness the rare sequel that justifies its existence.
So here’s the million-dollar question: Can lightning strike twice in the same submarine, or will this sequel sink under the weight of impossible expectations? Place your bets—because this torpedo is already in the water.
