Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny star Harrison Ford reveals he initially lashed out when first learning of his titular character's costume and signature whip during the making of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Speaking with GQ, Ford admitted being put off by the Indiana Jones getup during Raiders of the Lost Ark, the 1981 film which launched the eponymous action-adventure series. For Raiders of the Lost Ark and subsequent Indiana Jones titles, Ford's character would sport a lengthy bullwhip to go with his leather jacket and pinch-front fedora. Ford wondered aloud why the outfit and accompanying accessories were necessary, expressing how perplexed he was by the bullwhip. “It was presented to me as an aspect of character in the first film,” Ford said. “My questions about it were many. Why am I wearing a leather jacket in the jungle? Isn’t it hot here? Why am I carrying a whip? What am I going to do with a fucking whip? I’m going to whip people?”
After his initial concerns with the outfit, the makers of Raiders of the Lost Ark assured him there was a purpose behind the costume and whip, telling him it was "an evocation of a time," and "a reflection of movies past." Once he heard that, Ford put his qualms about everything to the side and has been seen sporting the trademark outfit and bullwhip ever since. Raiders of the Lost Ark became a huge hit with moviegoers, with the Steven Spielberg-helmed effort earning $389.9 million on a $20 million budget while further launching Ford's Hollywood career.
Contrary to Raiders of the Lost Ark franchise-opening success, Dial of Destiny could end the popular film series on an expensive whimper as its box-office momentum increasingly stalls. To date, the fifth and final film in the Indiana Jones franchise has grossed $247 million against its eye-watering $300 million budget. The movie has also garnered mixed reviews, landing a 69% average critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the bleak box-office return, some critics praised Ford's performance, arguing it was his best, while his co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge also earned plaudits.
Indiana Jones' Final Adventure
Dial of Destiny was the first Indiana Jones movie not to be directed by Spielberg, with James Mangold at the helm. Filled with nostalgic callbacks and a de-aged version of Indy using technology and unused Lucasfilm footage, the film takes place at the height of 1969's space race. In the film, Indy tries to track down a mysterious dial alongside his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Waller-Bridge) while confronting a former Nazi, Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), looking to steal the precious artifact. Dial of Destiny sees Ford star alongside fellow Raiders of the Lost Ark actors Karen Allen (Marion Ravenwood) and John Rhys-Davies (Sallah).
Ford has confirmed Dial of Destiny is his Indiana Jones swansong, though Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has hinted the franchise could continue as a TV series at some point. The film is the long-awaited follow-up to 2008's Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the highest-grossing Indiana Jones feature to date at $791 million.
Dial of Destiny is now showing in theaters.
Source: GQ via Variety