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Tag: Indiana Jones

  • ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Holds On as the New ‘Insidious’ Takes the Top Spot

    ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Holds On as the New ‘Insidious’ Takes the Top Spot

    That B+ AudienceScore is showing its fangs, as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has slipped to the second spot in its second weekend. While not every blockbuster needs to hold on to the top spot, the film simply had a disappointing $60M opening with a $295M production budget. It would need to make at least around $800M to make its money box, and it’ll need to leg out to make back its money.

    Though, while some are calling this a bad slip, it still dropped “only” 56% from its opening weekend. Putting that into perspective with The Flash opening to a $55M but slipping by 72% with a similar rating shows that Indiana Jones at least has some staying power moving forward. Though it also has quite a bit of competition that might bring that hold to a quick end potentially, it drop still could’ve been better which may be why the reactions are surfacing as they are.

    The big winner of the weekend was Insidious‘ return with a $31.4M opening weekend, which is slightly beyond the initial expectations. Insidious: The Red Door was created with only $16M when compared to other films and has shown a curious twist of smaller budgets making up for bigger blockbuster releases. Though, horror moviegoers remain committed while the general audience is a bit more cautious at the moment.

    Joy Ride is the other major release of the weekend that opened with $5.85M. While many are pointing to “smaller budget means more money,” it does seem like that isn’t always the case. The irony is also that the original small-budget release is trailing behind while the IP-focused entry is the one making money. So, we’re just seeing the usual blockbuster developments on a smaller scale than usual.

    Source: Variety, The Wrap

  • ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Underwhelms With $60M Opening Weekend

    ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Underwhelms With $60M Opening Weekend

    Going into the summer, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s opening box office was the talk of the town. Many pointed out that it would be on the lowest end of what has been released yet it somehow managed to be the best-performing live-action blockbuster all season. Animation hits like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and The Super Mario Bros. Film have shown some strong legs, it’s been a rough year in 2023 even as cinemas had hit after hit ready to release.

    Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the next in line with a soft opening box office at $60M. It is a dream for a smaller project, but the film costs a whopping $295M excluding its marketing costs. So, it would take incredible legs for the film to end up profitable though the B+ CinemaScore is weighing that chance down quite a bit. It almost feels like the box office has lost all momentum, as many films in the previous weeks have just not been performing as one would hope.

    Sadly, the film didn’t do much better internationally, as it pulled in $70M which is lower than even what The Flash did. So far, only Fast X managed to speed past anyone in its international box office while most are trying to even hit Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3′s opening, which was slightly mocked for being lower than Marvel’s usual. Who would’ve known that they were performing as usual just matching the overall year’s performance.

    This weekend proved that not even animation is a safe bet, as DreamWorks debuts its latest film, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, at $5.2M over the weekend. That is quite a disappointing box office for the film after the earlier success they saw with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. So, while The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the latest Spider-Verse film made us believe families are back in theaters, harsh reality has set in once again.

    It gets worse once you realize that The Flash, one of Warner Bros. biggest bets and highest hopes of the summer, fell to the 8th spot in its third weekend. It now only made $5M and hasn’t even crossed $100M yet after that harsh 67% drop. It’s especially painful for high-budget fare that has been whelming or just disappointing at the box office this summer.

    What exactly is the cause? Perhaps exhibitors were just a tad too excited going into the summer as they piled on film after film. Yet, the prices have not gone down and continue to soar which makes people’s choices way more selective going in. Plus, there was already an onslaught of films early in the year which means interest has just slowed down if the film isn’t reaching a much higher threshold than usual; not surprising given what one is looking for to justify the prices or just wait it out until streaming. Add in high production budgets that are all-in on making their money back and Hollywood is facing a bit of an uphill battle.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Indy 5’ Opens with an Impressive Thursday Preview

    ‘Indy 5’ Opens with an Impressive Thursday Preview

    Ahead of its full theatrical opening, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny grossed an impressive $7.2M from its Thursday night preview screenings. While that total may not seem to ring the bell in the same way that Marvel Studios preview nights do, as Deadline reports it is a very good haul when compared to similar films.

    Dial of Destiny outgrossed both No Time to Die and Mission: Impossible-Fallout which opened to $6.3M and $6M, respectively. Both of those films opened near enough to the $65M projected opening for the fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise which would be considerably less than the $100.1M opening of the last installment, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Given the film’s large production and marketing budgets, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that the final Indy adventure will break even much less turn profit.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Heading to a Soft $65M Domestic Opening Weekend

    ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Heading to a Soft $65M Domestic Opening Weekend

    Indiana Jones is a household name and while it’s a franchise that has way more breaks between releases than others, the nostalgia factor alone would seem like the perfect draw for audiences. Yet, it seems that even Harrison Ford’s return to the iconic role isn’t going to be putting a lot of butts in the cinemas. As of now, the film seems to be heading to a $65M opening weekend in 4,500 theaters.

    Globally, it’s not looking too much larger as it’s heading towards $80M with a potential total of $150M worldwide. Now, that isn’t a terrible start mind you but the issue lies in the fact that the film costs around $295M. That is excluding marketing and promotion costs, which makes it the most expensive entry in the franchise. So, the film has a long shot at turning a profit.

    It’s also set to open below Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which pulled in $100M in May of 2008. That film went on to make $790M globally and remains the highest-grossing entry of the franchise. James Mangold is taking over from Steven Spielberg with Dial of Destiny, but it seems a mixed reception from critics due to a risky Cannes showcase that may be backfiring on Disney and Lucasfilm.

    The film could still make a decent amount but it would need to make at least 600M to cover its production budget with another 200M minimum to cover its marketing budget, which might be far more expensive than we think. So, it’s a high gamble from Disney and who knows if they’ll be willing to do the same. This lower opening also continues to highlight that what some are trying to call superhero fatigue is affecting the entire blockbuster scene. Did theaters overestimate how ready audiences are set to return?

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Eyeing Soft $70M Opening Weekend

    ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Eyeing Soft $70M Opening Weekend

    It’s looking like the opening weekends are continuing to average at around $70M, as another film is joining that club in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. After The Flash was initially projected with that box office opening, the recent boost for Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse may be a hopeful sign that there’s a bit more momentum building up for bigger releases that have been surprisingly mellow throughout the year. Though, the amount of competition in a post-pandemic world might be doing more harm than good for individual releases.

    Still, the return of Indiana Jones is set to be a big move forward as the final entry for Harrison Ford as the iconic character. So, perhaps a $60M to $70M opening isn’t quite what Disney was looking for given the nostalgia factor was a big driver throughout the last few major releases. It’s on par with the pandemic release of No Time to Die and Mission: Impossible – Fallout, but those had to compete in a very different market.

    The big question mark is that without a bigger marketing push, this film will open below 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. That was around $100M across three days but even with conservative predictions, it’s a bit of a headscratcher given how off some have been as of late. The big problem is that Indiana Jones‘ latest entry is expensive at a staggering $295M, which means the film needs to at least make $600M just to cover its production costs. Even with good legs, it might look like it’s a loss for Lucasfilm.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter, The Direct

  • Lucasfilm Head Reveals ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ is the Longest Entry Yet

    Lucasfilm Head Reveals ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ is the Longest Entry Yet

    Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the next entry in the franchise that hasn’t had a new entry since 2008. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull tried to revive the franchise with Shia LaBeouf set to take over the franchise, but it didn’t quite pick up the pace that many hoped it would and the latest addition is once again returning to its true main star, Harrison Ford.

    We’re finally not too far away from Dial of Destiny’s release and during Star Wars Celebration, Collider used the chance to ask Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy to offer some insight into how long the next entry will be, and it seems that the film will be the longest yet.

    It’s around two hours and 22-23 minutes. I will say that the early movies were shorter. They were under two hours and 15 minutes. And we talked about that quite a bit… But as you know, with runtime, it’s all about how you feel, right? So, if you’re sitting in a movie, and it feels long… The reason this is interesting is because long-form storytelling is something that we like in the streaming space. So, I think it might be that it’s some kind of carry over from that. But God knows, this year there were so many three hour-plus movies that I felt I wasn’t getting any work done, trying to see them.

    Kathleen Kennedy

    Even Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was only slightly above two hours. So, if they stick to this length, James Mangold will have the longest entry in the Indiana Jones franchise. So, the next entry is going to have one of many firsts as we return to the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr. It also will introduce us to a new cast of characters and does open up the possibility of continuing the legacy of this story in a new and unexpected way.

    Source: Collider

  • RUMOR: Lucasfilm No Longer Developing ‘Indiana Jones’ Disney+ Series

    RUMOR: Lucasfilm No Longer Developing ‘Indiana Jones’ Disney+ Series

    Another day, another rumor as Jeff Sneider has shared something rather curious about the direction Lucasfilm might be heading in. According to his latest tweet, the recently hinted Indiana Jones Disney+ series may no longer be in development. We first heard about the project back in November of last year. Yet, the project never had any talent included and was simply an idea that was being developed very early in its development.

    So, who knows if the project was ever far enough in development? Lucasfilm has a notorious track record of announcing a variety of projects but never truly following through as of late. Sneider also mentions that they are going to focus more on Star Wars, which is likely more reactionary to recent developments with their lack of cinematic output.

    Disney has been refocusing its efforts. While they aren’t scrapping Disney+ projects, they are definitely trying to ensure that they are pushing out projects that’ll ensure they can make a direct return on investment. Star Wars, one of the most well-known IPs in cinematic history, hasn’t had a film since 2019 and every other announcement was scrapped at some point, it’s no wonder Disney wants them to focus on something.

    There’s always the chance that they are just waiting to see how successful Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny turn out. Fast-tracking a project has been the biggest stress factor for many streaming services hoping to build their next cinematic universe. So, if Lucasfilm can’t even get Star Wars running, they are likely not going to be able to push forward with other projects.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’ Reaches Pre-Pandemic Super Bowl Records

    ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’ Reaches Pre-Pandemic Super Bowl Records

    The Super Bowl has once again arrived and did its usual thing by squeezing a lot of money out of advertisers for the chance of getting the most views they possibly could for their product. Of course, it’s also a big opportunity for studios to showcase some of their upcoming big releases. This year had some of the biggest films of 2023 included such as The Flash, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, and more.

    In a big and exciting development, it seems that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finally broke a pre-pandemic record of pulling in more than 100M views within 24 hours after premiering at the Super Bowl. It’s even beaten Marvel Studios’ own Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which pulled a still impressive 93.1M views last year. And that is quite a move considering its also their second released trailer. It’s impressive and a good sign of the summer blockbuster push.

    The Flash wasn’t too far behind, as it managed to pull in an impressive 97.4M, which is also major considering Warner Bros. was more of a sideline during these events. So, they returned with quite a bang but were also closely followed by Fast X’s 94.1M views within 24 hours on Social Media. The latter does also have the added effect that they where the only one of the top three to drop the trailer in advance.

    13 trailers were dropped during the Super Bowl with the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Heineken collaboration also pulling in the fourth highest viewing with 87.9M. It may be facing some critical backlash but interest is definitely there for the film and the collab may have been a clever way to sneak in a second preview for Marvel Studios. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts was a bit further behind with 43.3M, a surprisingly soft starter considering how big its initial trailer drop was.

    Disney’s other major release, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny also were on the smaller side at 34.2M, but it also didn’t really include much new footage in its release outside of a few lines. It’s still some time away and the buzz may not be as big, but it’s still curious to think that the return of Harrison Ford wouldn’t have brought more buzz with it. It’s also not first-party data from studios but measured through RelishMix, which also can vary depending on its data basis. Still, it seems superheroes are still quite attractive going by public viewings.

    Source: Deadline

  • CCXP: ‘Indana Jones 5’s Title Finally Revealed

    CCXP: ‘Indana Jones 5’s Title Finally Revealed

    There have been a lot of theories on the web about what exactly might be the subtitle for the latest entry of Indiana Jones. For quite some time, Lucasfilm and director James Mangold have simply referred it as Indiana Jones, which is a possibility given how some film continuations simply share the same title as the first entry, such as the new Scream film. Yet, it seems that during CCXP 22, we’ve finally gotten a title.

    It seems the film will go with Indiana Jones: Dial of Destiny. What exactly that “dial” is will haunt our theories until it releases in theaters, but it’s great to see the naming trend continue for the franchise. Destiny is also a fitting addition if you consider that this story will explore events from Jones’ use connect with the return of the Nazis now in the middle of the Space Race. Perhaps that dial could be the answer to who wins.

    Check out the trailer here:

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Opening Will Feature a De-Aged Harrison Ford

    ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Opening Will Feature a De-Aged Harrison Ford

    De-aging technology has become quite the rage nowadays, especially with the work that Marvel Studios has invested to make actors seemingly play their younger selves. It doesn’t always work out, such as how Martin Scorcese‘s The Irishman featured some impressive technology, but given the actor’s age, one could tell something wasn’t right when they started trying to beat each other up. Still, it’s a fun tech innovation that has found its home in IP franchises, and it seems Indiana Jones 5 will do the same.

    In a new piece by Empire, they reveal that the film’s opening will feature a flashback to the original trilogy’s Indiana Jones with Harrison Ford de-aged to look the part. Funny enough, set photos from quite some time ago did actually hint at the flashback, especially with a stunt person wearing a rather questionable Ford mask on his face. It does seem like they will swap him out once it comes to action sequences and him talking. Director James Mangold highlighted why they decided to take this route:

    I wanted the chance to dive into this kind of full-on George-and-Steven old picture and give the audience an adrenaline blast.

    James Mangold

    He also highlights that they use the opening set piece of a castle swarming with Nazis that pays tribute to the franchise’s early beginnings, especially in how it also helps guide audiences into the 60s setting of the fifth entry.

    So that the audience doesn’t experience the change between the ‘40s and ‘60s as an intellectual conceit, but literally experiences the buccaneering spirit of those early days… and then the beginning of now.

    James mangold

    It’s definitely going to be interesting to see how they pull it off and how it’ll tie into the overarching narrative. Whatever Indy is up to might end up inspiring the events that tie into the space race storyline we’ll see later in the film, but we can only speculate for now. Still, it’ll be a blast to see a younger Indiana Jones once again, even if it’s digital.

    Source: Empire