The Big Blue_
Original: Le Grand Bleu
"Danger...Like Passion...Runs Deep"
Childhood friends Jacques and Enzo share a passion for the danger of free diving. Professional diver Jacques opted to follow in the footsteps of his father, who died at sea when Jacques was a boy; to the bewilderment of scientists, Jacques harbors a remarkable ability to adjust his heart rate and breathing pattern in the water, so that his vital signs more closely resemble that of dolphins than men. As Enzo persuades a reluctant Jacques to compete against him in a free diving contest -- determining who can dive deeper and longer without scuba gear -- Jacques meets Johana, a beautiful American insurance investigator, and finds that he must choose between his love for her and his love of the sea.
Starring
Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno, Rosanna Arquette
Box Office
$4.0M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
The Big Blue earned $4.0M against a $13.5M budget.
Year context
The Big Blue was released 38 years ago in 1988.
The Big Blue is a Romance, Adventure, Drama film with a runtime of 2h 48m.
CAST (20)
Jean-Marc Barr
Jacques Mayol
Jean Reno
Enzo Molinari
Rosanna Arquette
Johana Baker
Paul Shenar
Dr. Laurence
Sergio Castellitto
Novelli
Jean Bouise
Uncle Louis
Marc Duret
Roberto
Griffin Dunne
Duffy
Valentina Vargas
Bonita
Kimberly Beck
Sally
Alessandra Vazzoler
La Mamma
Andréas Voutsinas
Priest
Patrick Fontana
Alfredo
Geoffrey Carey
Supervisor
Jan Rouiller
Noireuter
Pierre Semmler
Franck
Pierre-Alain de Garrigues
Superintendent
CB
Claude Besson
Jacques' Father
Bruce Guerre-Berthelot
Young Jacques
GF
Gregory Forstner
Young Enzo
BOX OFFICE
$13.5M
Budget
$4.0M
Revenue
-70%
ROI
FLOP
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
168 min (2h 48m)
Original Title
Le Grand Bleu
Language
French
Country
Rating
7.4/10 (1,534 votes)
Popularity
3
Budget
$13,500,000
Box Office
$4,000,000
Profit
$-9,500,000
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Big Blue about?
Childhood friends Jacques and Enzo share a passion for the danger of free diving. Professional diver Jacques opted to follow in the footsteps of his father, who died at sea when Jacques was a boy; to the bewilderment of scientists, Jacques harbors a remarkable ability to adjust his heart rate and breathing pattern in the water, so that his vital signs more closely resemble that of dolphins than men. As Enzo persuades a reluctant Jacques to compete against him in a free diving contest -- determining who can dive deeper and longer without scuba gear -- Jacques meets Johana, a beautiful American insurance investigator, and finds that he must choose between his love for her and his love of the sea.
How long is The Big Blue?
The Big Blue has a runtime of 168 minutes (2h 48m).
Who stars in The Big Blue?
The cast of The Big Blue includes Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno, Rosanna Arquette, Paul Shenar, Sergio Castellitto.
How much did The Big Blue make at the box office?
The Big Blue earned $4,000,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $13,500,000.
What is the rating of The Big Blue?
The Big Blue has a rating of 7.4 out of 10 based on 1,534 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Romance
Adventure
Drama
