Last month, we saw things go terribly wrong for The Flash at the box office and it's now Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny's turn. As of now, it's too soon to say whether it's going to be as big a flop as that DC Comics adaptation, but things don't look good.
According to Variety, the movie is meeting disappointing estimates of an $80 million - $85 million 5-day Fourth of July debut with $82 million over the holiday period.
Independence Day is never an overly strong period for box office takings, but studios rely on a steady stream of business given that so many people have time off work. While Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has definitely benefited, a figure which would usually be considered a solid result for a movie like this is made almost meaningless by its massive budget.
The production budget alone was $295 million, a staggering sum which has left many pundits wondering whether filmmaker James Mangold is cut out for blockbuster filmmaking.
With costs clearly spiralling out of control, Lucasfilm may end up reconsidering whether the Logan helmer is cut out to direct that Star Wars movie set during the "Dawn of the Jedi." After all, we've seen how quick Kathleen Kennedy is to sever ties with directors she questions the capabilities of.
Now The Flash has slipped out of the top 5, we're getting fewer updates, but it remains on track to lose Warner Bros. upwards of $200 million. How much Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will hurt Disney is hard to say, especially as we're still waiting on the latest international numbers.
It's a shame to see the Indiana Jones franchise end on a bum note, especially as the response to the movie itself has also been mixed. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was similarly disappointing and we now expect to see fans forever debate which was the worst finale for the iconic adventurer.
Have you watched Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny yet?