Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny’s $134 Million Loss May Have One Future Disney Benefit

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fifth entry in the long-running franchise, lost millions at the box office. However, Lucasfilm’s commercial flop might have one silver-lining for the Disney-owned property. The Dial of Destiny marks Harrison Ford’s final outing as the fictional professor of archeology and adventurer — a whopping 42 years after the original Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, hit theaters. While the Indiana Jones trilogy was released in the ’80s — Temple of Doom in 1984 and The Last Crusade in 1989 — a fourth film was released in 2008.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull saw Ford donning the iconic Indy hat once more after decades away from the George Lucas-created property. The 2008 installment was the franchise’s attempt at soft-rebooting the series, but it was widely panned by critics and audiences alike. With Disney intent on mining Lucasfilm’s fan-loved properties for more content, it’s not surprising that the multimedia company convinced Ford to join one last adventure. Unfortunately, no amount of John Williams music, Harrison Ford charm, or nostalgia could save Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny from its dismal fate.

Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny’s Box Office Loss Explained

The Fifth Indiana Jones Outing Barley Made Back Its Budget

Nearly a year after the film’s release, Dial of Destiny‘s massive box office losses are no secret. Marketing costs aside, Indiana Jones’ fifth outing racked up a staggering $387.2 million budget, with roughly $79 million being allocated to post-production costs just a few months before the film’s 2023 release. Given Indiana Jones‘ impressive de-aging effects, which were employed in the film’s opening, it’s not surprising that the budget ballooned to nearly $400 million. Known for trading in nostalgia, Disney assumed viewers would flock to Ford’s final adventure. Unfortunately, the company vastly overestimated the franchise’s appeal.

Clearly, Indiana Jones isn’t a Star Wars-level juggernaut. In the wake of mixed reviews, the film made just $384 million at the box office. All in all, Disney’s reported box office losses total a whopping $134.2 million. Lacking the original trilogy’s thrills, Dial of Destiny‘s bloated budget matches its overblown story, which sees Indiana Jones tracking down Archimedes’ Antikythera mechanism, teaming up with his goddaughter (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), toppling a Nazi plot, and traveling through time and history like never before. Sadly, what could have been a solid sendoff has cemented its place as a box office flop.

Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny’s Box Office Makes A Reboot Less Likely

Disney & Lucasfilm Might Shelve Indiana Jones For A While

A sequel to Dial of Destiny with Harrison Ford as the titular hero was never part of the plan. The actor, who is 81 years old, was clear about Dial of Destiny being his last Indiana Jones movie. However, there are plenty of other ways to keep an IP and an iconic character alive. Previously, the Indiana Jones franchise had spawned a prequel TV series, tie-in books, and video games. If Dial of Destiny had been a bigger box office success, Disney would have much more incentive to carry on the character’s legacy with a spin-off or reboot.

Of course, when it comes to Hollywood and the revival of beloved IPs, it’s hard to completely rule out an Indiana Jones reboot. With Solo: A Star Wars Story, Disney and Lucasfilm proved they are willing to recast fan-favorite characters with younger actors to make prequels and new stories work. Outside the Disney bubble, revived franchises like the Matrix are still getting sequels green-lit even when they fail to live up to the hype. While franchises and IP are Disney’s favorite currency, it’s clear the company is doubling down on its strongest brands, and Indy might not qualify.

Why An Indiana Jones Reboot Shouldn’t Happen

Recent Attempts To Revive Indiana Jones Have Failed

The silver lining to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s box office failure is that it makes an Indy reboot way less likely. Both of the original trilogy’s sequels fumbled the Indiana Jones legacy by being too over-the-top ridiculous and lacking the charm and thrills of the original films. Even though the trilogy’s movies vary in quality, there’s no replacing Harrison Ford or improving on a stand-out action flick like Raiders. And with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s characters not warranting spin-offs, it’s hard to imagine the franchise moving forward any time soon.