Harrison Ford Talks About 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' Flopping

Harrison Ford has a reputation in Hollywood for telling it like it is and appearing to take just about anything in stride. It’s a personality trait that has made him one of the most beloved people in the industry, and he continues to be the guy we can all rely on when discussing the box office failure of 2023’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. If it’s something that bothered him, the actor isn’t showing it. In fact, his response is very on-brand.

During an interview with The Wall Street Journal Magazine, Ford was asked about the box office disappointment of the fifth Indiana Jones film, and the actor, who gives a very gruff and direct answer to begin his response, does admit that he’s still very happy he made the film.

“S*** happens. I was really the one who felt there was another story to tell. When [Indy] had suffered the consequences of the life that he had to live, I wanted one more chance to pick him up and shake the dust off his ass and stick him out there, bereft of some of his vigor, to see what happened. I’m still happy I made that movie.”

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny faced problems financially due to its insane budget, which reportedly ranged between $295-387 million. By the end of its global run, the movie grossed $384 million worldwide, well below expectations. The movie needed to make at least $600 million globally to break even and $800 million to be considered a winner for the studio. According to reports, Disney ultimately lost $143 million on the project.

‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Opened to Mixed Reviews

Directed by James Mangold from a screenplay he co-wrote with David Koepp and the writing duo Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny takes place in 1969 and follows Jones (Ford) and his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) as they attempt to locate a powerful artifact. Their hope is to intercept it before Dr. Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a former Nazi, uses it to change the outcome of World War II. The film also stars John Rhys-Davies, Karen Allen, Antonio Banderas, Toby Jones, and Boyd Holbrook. Unfortunately, initial reactions were not overly positive about the long-awaited sequel.

Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Star Wars Episode IX Rise of Skywalker

Harrison Ford Refused to Do Any Action Stunts For His Latest Project – Which Was Exactly What the Director Wanted

Harrison Ford cuts his famous curmudgeonly self in a new ad campaign that just required him to act his age.

Posts

1

The film opened at the 76th Cannes Film Festival out of competition and early reviews weren’t glowing out of the event. Reviews ultimately improved, and it registered a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes with a consensus that reads, “It isn’t as thrilling as earlier adventures, but the nostalgic rush of seeing Harrison Ford back in action helps Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny find a few final bits of cinematic treasure.” Some believe that the IP skewed too old to entice younger moviegoers and that’s why it ultimately didn’t score big at the box office, but it’s good to see that Ford isn’t all that concerned with the final financial result. After all, Ford isn’t afraid to revisit his biggest franchises.