Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was set to be the much-awaited conclusion to a saga that had once been one of the biggest film series ever. With a star-studded ensemble like Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Mads Mikkelsen, expectations were sky-high.
However, despite the anticipation and the excitement, the film turned out to be a colossal flop. Turns out, the expectations weren’t the only thing that was sky-high, the film’s budget was way ahead. Here’s how this very ambitious project ended up digging its own grave.
How Much Did Disney Lose on Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny?
Recent reports from Forbes have shed light on the dire financial situation surrounding the Harrison Ford starrer The Dial of Destiny. Despite its global box office earnings of $384 million, Disney faced a projected loss of a staggering $134.2 million. This revelation comes as Forbes reveals the real picture behind the film’s hefty final budget, which soared to a heart-aching $387.2 million.
The film didn’t hold back when it came to spending its money. Take, for instance, the hefty $79 million allocated for post-production expenses. In particular, the part featuring a digitally de-aged Ford accounted for that $79 million.
What’s particularly intriguing is that the marketing expenses were not even factored into this, which could potentially amount to $100 to $200 million. With the exact figures not being revealed, the movie needed to make at least $600 million just to break even.
The movie’s ambitious scale and the seemingly grand production demands meant that it found various aspects to quickly blow through its budget, landing it among the top 10 most expensive films ever made as per The Numbers list.
Additionally, what makes it even worse is, according to Forbes, the UK production company received $58.3 million in reimbursements after investing $308.2 million in the film. Even with an extra $2.7 million in reimbursements by April 2023, bringing total expenses down to $326.2 million, that means, the project suffered a $134.2 million loss after Disney’s $192 million box office share was deducted.
Was This Box Office Bust Predictable?
Despite the franchise being around for decades and considerable hype surrounding the character, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, with its budget exceeding previous installments, likely marks the franchise’s first box office disappointment despite its high costs.
The Indy franchise has a history of impressive returns on modest budgets. For instance, Raiders of the Lost Ark, with a budget of $18 million, earned $390 million, while Temple of Doom, costing $28 million, made $333 million, and The Last Crusade, with a budget of $48 million, garnered $474 million. Thus the flop status of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was somewhat predictable. Perhaps sticking to a more modest budget would have been a wiser choice to avoid disappointment.
Although the film holds a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, its audience score is more impressive, which is a solid 88%. Despite its apparent popularity with viewers, it is no secret that this did not translate into strong box office attendance. And well, the rest is history!
