The claustrophobic climb through the ship's service areas was originally longer.
This ending tested disastrously. Audiences felt “betrayed” after investing in Russell’s heroic father figure. One test screening comment reportedly read: “He survived being mayor. He survived 9/11. But he can’t survive a boat? Terrible.” The scene was reshot during pick-ups in early 2006. Only a single black-and-white photo from this scene exists in a behind-the-scenes book, The Making of Poseidon . Poseidon 2006 Deleted Scenes
Perhaps the most significant deletion involves the characters played by Richard Dreyfuss (Richard Nelson) and Jacinda Barrett (Maggie James). In the theatrical release, their characters share a bond formed purely through trauma and survival. Nelson is a gay architect recently heartbroken by his partner, and Maggie is a former lifeguard traveling with her son. They are allies, but nothing more. The claustrophobic climb through the ship's service areas