In a not unexpected by anyone who follows these things, the highly anticipated release of Disney’s latest “Indiana Jones” installment seems to be quickly losing whatever tiny grip it had on moviegoers’ attention.
With lackluster opening day numbers, the film’s prospects are looking grim, leaving fans wondering if the era of woke cinema has finally run its course.
Meanwhile, the faith-based film “Sound of Freedom” starring Jim Caviezel is garnering significant pre-sales and generating buzz ahead of its release.
Could this be a sign that audiences are yearning for movies that reflect traditional values and offer a respite from the prevailing narrative in Hollywood?
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” marks the fifth film in the iconic Indiana Jones series, arriving in theaters 15 years after its predecessor.
Unfortunately, its opening day sales fell far below expectations, raising concerns about its ultimate financial success.
According to Variety, the film only managed to generate $7.2 million in ticket sales during its Thursday previews, followed by an underwhelming $16.8 million on Friday.
These figures pale in comparison to Warner’s “The Flash,” which raked in $9.7 million during its Thursday previews, yet was deemed a disappointment.
The lackluster performance of “Dial” positions it as the lowest-earning Indiana Jones film in recent memory during its opening weekend.
The previous installment, “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” grossed over $100 million, despite being considered the weakest entry in the franchise.
However, it’s important to note that the first two films, released in the early 1980s, enjoyed a vastly different economic landscape.
Adjusting for inflation, their opening day earnings of $8.30 million and $25.33 million respectively would be equivalent to over $143 million today.
Additionally, the original film went on to make more than $250 million on a modest $18 million budget, highlighting the drastic disparity in financial success.
If current projections hold true and “Dial” fails to gain momentum, it is estimated to amass a mere $60 million during its opening weekend, according to Deadline.
This outcome would be another in a series of devastating blows to Disney, given the film’s exorbitant production, distribution, and advertising costs, which totaled nearly $300 million.
The movie’s uphill battle began with lackluster reviews at the Cannes Film Festival and continued with unfavorable ratings across various review platforms.
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes, for example, awarded it a paltry 68 percent approval rating.
It is worth noting that this underwhelming performance coincides with the Independence Day weekend, allowing “Dial” an extra day to boost its weekend box office earnings.
However, even with the additional day, it seems unlikely that the film will recover enough to avoid being labeled a financial disaster for Disney.
Drawing a sharp contrast to Disney’s woes, Angel Studios is enjoying early success with its upcoming release, “Sound of Freedom.” Starring Jim Caviezel, the faith-based film follows the journey of Tim Ballard, a U.S. Homeland Security agent dedicated to rescuing trafficked children.
Despite its release still a few days away, “Sound of Freedom” has already amassed an impressive $7.2 million in ticket pre-sales, as reported by Deadline.
Angel Studios, known for their Easter hit “His Only Son” about the prophet Abraham, set an ambitious goal of selling two million pre-sale tickets before the film’s July 4th opening.
Remarkably, they have already surpassed 869,000 pre-sales and continue to soar, as indicated by their live ticket tracker.
This achievement mirrors Lionsgate’s surprise success earlier this year with “The Jesus Revolution,” a Jesus-based film that grossed $15.8 million during its opening weekend and went on to accumulate an impressive $51 million at the box office, easily surpassing its $15 million budget.
These developments beg the question: Will Hollywood finally recognize the fatigue among audiences for the incessant injection of woke narratives into their movies?
If “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” suffers the anticipated failure, it may serve as a wake-up call to the entertainment industry.
Perhaps it is (way past) time for studios to reevaluate their approach and consider embracing films that align with traditional values, capturing the essence of faith, family and hope cherished by many viewers.
