Indiana Jones' final flop. Harrison Ford's last crusade fails at box office, shines on Disney+

Regrettably, Harrison Ford's farewell to his iconic character did not meet expectations. The production, with a budget of $300 million and another $100 million for promotion, only grossed $385 million worldwide. While not a poor figure per se, one must remember that this is part of a highly lucrative and renowned film series with a substantial budget. Considering these production costs, the film would only start to make a profit once it exceeded the $800 million revenue threshold. Therefore, the earnings were quite inadequate.

It's worth noting that 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' was the biggest box office hit worldwide in 1981. 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' took the cake in 1984, while 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' led in 1989. Only the fourth installment of the famed archaeologist's adventures, 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull', did not top the global box office, taking second place instead. This year, 'Indiana Jones and the Artifact of Destiny' ranks as low as 14th.

Based on cinema audience studies in the US, a considerable portion (over 55%) of the viewership for the fifth part of 'Indiana Jones' consists of people aged over 40. For this group, the hero of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' was a critical film character during their childhood. People in this age group generally constitute only 20-30% of the audience for Hollywood productions. Market analysts have also noted unusual statistics showing that 45% of the audience are people over 45, whereas 23% are aged over 55.

Typically, people under 25 have been the driving force behind cinema audiences. Without them, Hollywood productions stand little chance of commercial success. However, the dynamics are different on streaming VOD services. 'Indiana Jones and the Artifact of Destiny' is a prime example. US media reports indicate that the film, starring Harrison Ford, achieved record viewership upon its release this year on the Disney+ platform. In the US, it also became a VOD hit, holding the top spot among Disney+'s hits for five days, based on the available statistics.

This year marks the end of the cinematic journey of Indiana Jones, which started 42 years ago. It's disappointing that one of the most popular characters in movie history is unable to captivate contemporary audiences. Let's not forget the heartfelt words uttered by 80-year-old Harrison Ford at a special screening in Cannes: 'These films are born out of a love for cinema and great adventure. Goodbye, my friend!'