‘That was quick’: ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s speedy digital release is a reminder that Disney desperately wants to forget its biggest bomb of the year

Once upon a time, Disney had high hopes for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Harrison Ford’s swan song as the whip-smart archeologist was supposed to be a summer blockbuster smash and the nearly $300 million it cost to make was supposed to be chump change recouped in a matter of weeks. Best case scenario: it would enjoy a long, grandiose theatrical release. Worst case: it would quietly sneak out the back door and tip-toe into living rooms and we would be none the wiser to its failures.

One guess which category the film fell under… That’s right: Disney has announced that just 60 days after premiering in theaters, the beloved franchise’s fifth installment will be available for digital purchase on August 29. Formats include 4K UHD, HD, and SD through all major digital retailers, such as Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu.

The speedy turnaround has not gone unnoticed. In fact, the prevailing sentiment by many online seems to be “That was quick.”

The movie premiered on June 29, but it might as well be a month ago with how quickly this announcement arrived.

The film was initially ushered into theaters by lukewarm reviews, shaky box office predictions, and criticism of the very thing that cost the studio so much money. In the end, it has joined the live-action The Little Mermaid, Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Disney Plus’ Secret Invasion as one of four disastrous flops that cost the studio upwards of $1 billion. 

Disney’s commitment to producing projects with inflated price tags (think: Dial of Destiny, Haunted Mansion, The Little Mermaid, Elemental, Secret Invasion) has been quite the topic of conversation this year. The business tactic has been called into question by many, including CEO Bob Iger, especially when a film that cost $277 less to produce than Dial of Destiny is running laps around it at the domestic box office.

It’ll be a while longer until Dial of Destiny receives an official Disney Plus release date, but if its speedy digital release is any indication of how passiotnally Disney is willing to sweep its failures under the rug, it won’t be long.