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Credit: LucasfilmThe opening of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is this weekend.
The highly-anticipated film, which is set to be the swansong for Harrison Ford as he put an end to a more than 40-year run as Dr. Henry Jones Jr., began premiering in theaters on Thursday. The fifth installment of the franchise follows Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008).
Though there won’t be any Shia LaBeouf (Mutt Williams) this time, there is a cast of talented entertainers who will join Harrison Ford on the big screen. These include Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Helena Shaw, the goddaughter of Indy), and Mads Mikkelsen (Jurgen Voller, the main antagonist). While there’s plenty of anticipation surrounding the film, it has also been met with backlash from many fans who have seen the trailers and critics alike.
Many fans on social media have vowed not to watch the movie due to scenes released in which they accuse Disney and Lucasfilm of “turning the franchise woke.” In addition, the critical consensus for the movie could have been better. Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie a 66% approval rating, which is below the rating given for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
In recent updates shared on social media, many users have posted empty theaters for the premiere of the movie.
Survived the stampede, and got into the first local IMAX screening of #Indiana Jones
Survived the stampede, and got into the first local IMAX screening of #IndianaJones pic.twitter.com/197TQP8RlW
— Andre (@AndreEinherjar) June 28, 2023
Another user posted a photo where the theater is also empty
Seeing Indiana JOnes and the Destiny Turns on the Radio… pray for mojo.
Seeing Indiana Jones and Destiny Turns on the Radio… pray for mojo. pic.twitter.com/gEY15ieIzG
— Max Evry (@maxevry) June 28, 2023
Several others were shared with theaters that looked on the empty side, as well. But, it’s unclear when these photos were taken and how many fans ended up turning out.
Nothing will beat the first time seeing this only because I watched it in the same theater with Mr. Ford, Mr. @mang0ld, Mr. Spielberg & others but the second time was just as good watching my kids have their first @IndianaJones experience in theaters. Can’t wait to see it again!
Nothing will beat the first time seeing this only because I watched it in the same theater with Mr. Ford, Mr. @mang0ld, Mr. Spielberg & others but the second time was just as good watching my kids have their first @IndianaJones experience in theaters. Can’t wait to see it again! pic.twitter.com/4tt6eoiaBy
— Alex Arnold (@AlexArnold88) June 29, 2023
Currently, the box office projections for the opening weekend are set at around $65 million in the U.S. While this would be a nice number, the film boasts a massive budget of more than $295 million, which means it will take quite a number to offset its costs. This, of course, does not include marketing costs, and much more.
Ultimately, while the verdict is still out on how the film will perform, it will be interesting to see what the movie is able to do at the box office and how much the final installment with Harrison Ford makes when it’s all said and done. For now, the jury is still out.
Have you seen Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny? What did you think of the film?