Somehow, miraculously, Brave New World has raked in $297,065,075 in its first three weeks (despite falling like a rock—some 68%—in week 2 alone!).
I'm particularly surprised anyone thought Anthony Mackie possessed the charisma to carry a film this big, but okay. I was wrong. BIG time wrong!
That said, with the addition of Captain America: Brave New World under his belt, Harrison Ford's domestic lifetime box office grosses now top $4.38 billion, surpassing Johnny Depp's $3.69 billion. Worldwide, Ford's films globally surpass the $10 billion mark, with Depp's standing at $8 billion and some change.
Following a 3-year pseudo-hiatus (roughly coinciding with COVID, 2019-2023), Harrison's afterburners have worked overtime: He completed 22 episodes of Shrinking and nine Season 2 episodes of Taylor Sheridan's 1923 before tackling the Red Hulk and President Thaddeus Ross opposite Tim Blake Nelson's hokey "Samuel 'Scrotum' Sternsin" in Marvel's latest.
One can only imagine where Brave New World would sit (and, by extension, Ford himself) had the film actually been any good. After all, it's earned $300mm despite 39% of 59,000 viewers giving it a big, fat thumbs-down. That's terrible!
Anywho, at age 82, I cannot fathom Harrison Ford surpassing Robert Downey Jr.'s $14 billion global box office take or Samuel L. Jackson's whopping $14.6 billion, but holy moly, "third-highest box office draw" of all time? Not too shabby for a rough-around-the-edges carpenter who starred in so many unmemorable vehicles before finally hitting the jackpot.
Let's reflect on his first 18 times at bat, shall we? Just take a gander at all these unbolded stinkers (their being the rule, not the exceptions):
1. Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966) – Uncredited role as a bellhop.
2. Luv (1967) – Uncredited role as a hippie.
3. A Time for Killing (1967) – Credited as "Harrison J. Ford," playing Lt. Shaffer.
4. Journey to Shiloh (1968) – Played Willie Bill Bearden.
5. Zabriskie Point (1970) – Uncredited role as an airport worker.
6. Getting Straight (1970) – Played Jake.
7. Love, American Style (1970) – TV movie episode Love and the Former Marriage.
8. The Intruders (1970) – TV movie, played Carl.
9. American Graffiti (1973) – Played Bob Falfa, a breakthrough role.
10. The Conversation (1974) – Played Martin Stett, a significant role in Francis Ford Coppola's thriller.
11. Dynasty (1976) – TV movie, played Mark Blackwood.
12. Judgment: The Court Martial of Lieutenant William Calley (1975) – TV movie, played Frank Carr.
13. Star Wars (1977) – Played Han Solo, the role that launched him to stardom and led to Raiders of the Lost Ark and Blade Runner.
14. Heroes (1977) – Played Ken Boyd, a Vietnam War veteran’s friend.
15. Force 10 from Navarone (1978) – Played Lt. Col. Mike Barnsby.
16. Hanover Street (1979) – Played David Halloran, a WWII pilot.
17. Apocalypse Now (1979) – Played Colonel Lucas in a small but notable role.
18. The Frisco Kid (1979) – Played Tommy Lillard, a cowboy alongside the late, great Gene Wilder!
I'm not sure what's in store for Harrison next, but after the unexpected passing of Gene Hackman (95) and his wife (64) on or around February 17th (final findings/autopsy results forthcoming), I'm simply grateful to be alive at a time when Harrison Ford continues choosing to remain so darn prolific.
For all he's contributed to cinema, I have always been and shall forever be grateful.
I was seven years old when Star Wars came out. We saw it that summer at a drive-in theater as a family, after which I committed myself to procuring a landspeeder, countless Kenner action figures (stormtroopers chief among them), a lightsaber, and—most cherished of all—that incredible 'pew-pew' blaster pistol.
My sweaty hands wore the paint off that pistol, but I learned to paint as a result and cherished that thing for decades.
God, those were the days, weren't they?
LONG LIVE FILM.
