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IMDbPro

What Dreams May Come

  • 1998
  • PG-13
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
111K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,762
19
Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)
Home Video Trailer from Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
99+ Photos
DramaFantasyRomance

Chris Nielsen dies in an accident, and enters Heaven. But when he discovers that his beloved wife Annie has killed herself out of grief over the loss, he embarks on an afterlife adventure to... Read allChris Nielsen dies in an accident, and enters Heaven. But when he discovers that his beloved wife Annie has killed herself out of grief over the loss, he embarks on an afterlife adventure to reunite with her.Chris Nielsen dies in an accident, and enters Heaven. But when he discovers that his beloved wife Annie has killed herself out of grief over the loss, he embarks on an afterlife adventure to reunite with her.

  • Director
    • Vincent Ward
  • Writers
    • Richard Matheson
    • Ron Bass
  • Stars
    • Robin Williams
    • Cuba Gooding Jr.
    • Annabella Sciorra
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    111K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,762
    19
    • Director
      • Vincent Ward
    • Writers
      • Richard Matheson
      • Ron Bass
    • Stars
      • Robin Williams
      • Cuba Gooding Jr.
      • Annabella Sciorra
    • 713User reviews
    • 79Critic reviews
    • 44Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 7 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    What Dreams May Come
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch What Dreams May Come

    Photos173

    Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr. in What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams and Darlene Ava Williams
    What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr. in What Dreams May Come (1998)
    Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robin Williams
    Robin Williams
    • Chris Nielsen
    Cuba Gooding Jr.
    Cuba Gooding Jr.
    • Albert
    Annabella Sciorra
    Annabella Sciorra
    • Annie Nielsen
    Max von Sydow
    Max von Sydow
    • The Tracker
    Jessica Brooks Grant
    Jessica Brooks Grant
    • Marie Nielsen
    Josh Paddock
    Josh Paddock
    • Ian Nielsen
    Rosalind Chao
    Rosalind Chao
    • Leona
    Lucinda Jenney
    Lucinda Jenney
    • Mrs. Jacobs
    Maggie McCarthy
    Maggie McCarthy
    • Stacey Jacobs
    Wilma Bonet
    • Angie
    Matt Salinger
    Matt Salinger
    • Reverend Hanley
    Carin Sprague
    Carin Sprague
    • Best Friend Cindy
    June Carryl
    June Carryl
    • Woman in Car Accident
    • (as June Lomena)
    Paul P. Card IV
    • Paramedic
    Werner Herzog
    Werner Herzog
    • Face
    Clara Thomas
    Clara Thomas
    • Little Girl at Lake
    Benjamin Brock
    • Little Boy at Lake
    Joe Bartnick
    • Warehouse worker
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Vincent Ward
    • Writers
      • Richard Matheson
      • Ron Bass
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Annabella Sciorra initially had no desire to appear in the film, thinking that it would be too intense and sad. A read-through with Robin Williams convinced her otherwise.
    • Goofs
      When the little girl gives half her sandwich to the little boy on the dock, he takes the other half, and hands the first one back to her. As he hands it over, there is a bite missing in the middle. When she goes to eat it, it is whole.
    • Quotes

      Chris Nielsen: Thank you for every kindness. Thank you for our children. For the first time I saw them. Thank you for being someone I was always proud to be with. For your guts, for your sweetness. For how you always looked, for how I always wanted to touch you. God, you were my life. I apologize for everytime I ever failed you. Especially this one...

    • Crazy credits
      Disclaimer after the end credits: "The persons and events in this production are fictitious. No similarity to actual persons, living, dead or reincarnated is intended or should be inferred."
    • Alternate versions
      The DVD gives an alternative ending in which the kids (Ian & Marie) come to see Annie and Chris. They ask her if she wants to see them as Chris saw them. She says yes and they become Albert and Leona. They ask if she wants them to stay as they are or go back to being the kids. She says she knows who they are and should stay the same. Then Annie says she has to leave. This is the crucial point that wasn't in the original because Leona says those who commit suicide have to go back and be reincarnated. Chris says he wants to go back and Albert responds we figured that, a couple of star crossed lovers. He then says that Chris will meet Annie in Sri Lanka where Annie will die in his arms and he will die 40 years after that. Then there is a montage of Annie and Chris being born ending with side by side pictures of two new born babies.
    • Connections
      Edited into Doggiewoggiez! Poochiewoochiez! (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Chris & Annie's Theme
      Based on variations of "Beside You"

      Written by Mark Snow (as Martin Fulterman) and Michael Kamen

    User reviews713

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    The Afterlife has its rules
    If there's one thing that What Dreams May Come has is a vivid imagination. Maybe some readings into Dante's Inferno might have given the writers some ideas as a start. But this goes way beyond.

    I remember years ago at a Science Fiction convention Peter Davison said that one nice thing about being the Doctor in Doctor Who was that you could create your character from scratch. Since we've got no reports on the afterlife one can the imagination soar in creating it. Soar it does and at times the creation threatens to overwhelm the cast, but it never does.

    Robin Williams doctor and Annabella Sciorra artist seen fated to be mated and are. They raise two children, but both are killed in a car crash devastating the parents both try to move on. Then Williams is killed in a car crash.

    At that point the film shifts to the afterlife as Williams starts to get used to the territory. Cuba Gooding appears as a kind of mentor/guide for him. The place looks like paradise, but paradise will not be complete without the family reunited.

    The afterlife does have its rules and Williams has to make quite the journey to accomplish his goal. Williams, Sciorra, and Gooding give impeccable performances and the sets are just breathtaking.

    If it isn't this is what heaven should be.
    helpful•6
    1
    • bkoganbing
    • Jul 11, 2018

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 2, 1998 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • New Zealand
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Nơi Giấc Mơ Trở Thành
    • Filming locations
      • Angel Falls, Canaima National Park, Estado Bolívar, Venezuela
    • Production companies
      • Polygram Filmed Entertainment
      • Interscope Communications
      • Metafilmics
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $85,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $55,382,927
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,833,592
      • Oct 4, 1998
    • Gross worldwide
      • $55,382,927
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1
      • 2.35 : 1

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