Disney Panics as New Indiana Jones Film Has Abysmal Opening

Disney and Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has left critics underwhelmed as the iconic action-adventure franchise embarks on its last hurrah. With some fans posting images of empty theaters on opening night, it seems the allure of a new outing with the charming adventurer just didn’t take off. Friday earnings hint that the film might die on arrival, leaving The Walt Disney Company with another box office disaster. Let’s discuss this Indiana Jones failure.

Indiana Jones and the Box Office Crash

The fifth installment falls short of expectations despite raking in $24 million on its opening day (which includes $7.2 million on Thursday) from 4,600 theaters. With a jaw-dropping production budget of $295 million, “Indiana Jones 5” is among the most expensive blockbusters ever made. However, it appears that the film’s hefty investment may not pay off as projected. According to Variety, industry insiders predict a lackluster three-day opening of around $60 million, landing the movie at the top of the domestic charts but failing to ignite the triumphant note one would expect from such a beloved franchise.

Disney's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny grossed an estimated $24.0M domestically on Friday (from 4,600 locations), including Thursday previews.#IndianaJones #DialOfDestiny #BoxOffice pic.twitter.com/ANN84qzUvk

— BoxOfficeReport.com (@BORReport) July 1, 2023

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the first time the franchise has been released under a Disney-owned Lucasfilm. The company’s beloved classics and studios have been failing to turn much of a profit in the past year, with projections of up to $900 million in losses. Pixar’s Elemental drowned last month, and Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid wasn’t a breakaway hit either. Some critics have latched on to these failures to fuel the argument that the company is going broke due to its “woke” social agenda.

2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was the last outing for Harrison Ford’s iconic character. While it also was met with little fan praise, the film did manage to earn over $100 million on its opening weekend. The title grossed $790 million, a feat that Disney’s sequel will almost certainly not even get close to accomplishing based on Friday’s numbers. The entertainment giant’s biggest detractors will more than certainly use the Indiana Jones 5 failure as another call for Disney to fire Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.

Indiana Jones Under Disney

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the final installment of the Indiana Jones film series, as confirmed by its lead actor, Harrison Ford. This time, the adventure takes place in 1969, with Indiana Jones partnering with his goddaughter to thwart a former Nazi’s attempts to alter the course of history. Notably, this film marks the departure from the creative input of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, being the first in the franchise not written by them.

The development of this title has undergone numerous changes before finally progressing. Alongside Harrison Ford, other renowned actors such as John Rhy-Davies and Karen Allen will reprise their roles. Additionally, the film introduces fresh faces, notably Phoebe Waller-Bridge portraying the character Helena Shaw.

While Disney could still make up some losses via the film release occurring on an extended holiday weekend, it will almost certainly fall short of being a box office success. The company may have to reaccess its losses from now on, as a concerning pattern is beginning to emerge.