The fifth and final chapter of the Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, was initially enveloped in euphoria and exhilaration until it failed to meet the standards of viewers who had long-anticipated its release.

James Mangold’s archeological adventure performed even worse than its maligned predecessor, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which was both a critical and commercial flop beyond expectations, reducing the hopes and box office projections of Dial of Destiny to around $70 million, much lower than the guaranteed $100+ million prediction earlier in the year. What could have gone wrong? To quote Mark Ruffalo in Avengers: Endgame, “time travel!”

However, certain Indiana Jones fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with the film, stating that the use of time travel deviates from the original trilogy’s essence. Their discomfort is understandable, considering how the appearance of an alien at the end of Crystal Skull provoked backlash from die-hard fans across the globe.

Even though the inappropriate use of time travel might not be the only cause for Dial of Destiny’s mediocre performance, it can be agreed that the unforgettable final shot of The Last Crusade – where Indy rode off into the sunset – sufficiently marked the end of the saga on a high note.

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