In case you have not heard, there was a small film that opened this week called Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Of course, I am kidding – the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series has been highly anticipated by fans since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was released in 1989. Yes, I said 1989 – it has been almost 20 years since Indiana Jones has graced the big screen.
However, it must have seemed like yesterday to the fans. On the opening day, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull raked in $25 million dollars. It fell a bit short of the record held by Star Wars: Episode II – Revenge of the Sith (it brought in $50 million in one day), but I am sure Paramount is still pretty happy with the one day total. I can’t even fathom what it will be by the end of this long Memorial Day weekend. The film premiered at Cannes to so-so reviews, but then the Cannes people are a bit different from most Indiana Jones fans.
As we wait to see what the final Memorial Day weekend box office total will be, let me share a few Indiana Jones facts with you:
– Tom Selleck was originally slated to play Indiana Jones, but had to drop out due to his “Magnum P.I.” television series commitment.
– Indiana Jones’ full name is Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr.
– Indiana Jones hates snakes.
– Raiders of the Lost Ark was the film debut of actor Alfred Molina.
– Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was the first sequel produced by Steven Spielberg.
– Spielberg would marry the leading lady from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Kate Capshaw). The two met when she was cast in the role of Wilhelmina ‘Willie’ Scott.
– In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Sean Connery played Harrison Ford’s father, despite being only 12 years older.
– The three Indiana Jones films plus his appearances in the Star Wars series has meant a box office total (which is currently growing!) of about $3.18 billion dollars in the U.S. ($5.65 billion worldwide) for Harrison Ford. No other actor in history has grossed as much at the box office.