Skip to main content
Games Radar Newsarama Total Film Edge Retro Gamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The smarter take on movies
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Don't miss these
Jacob Diaz is surrounded by DNA in MindsEye
Action Games "Everything I touch turns to poop": Actor says starring in former GTA lead's faux-open world flop made him think he'd "never work in a game again"
Steven Spielberg
Thriller Movies Steven Spielberg says he thought his "career was virtually over" during the making of Jaws: "Everybody was saying to me, 'You are never going to get hired again'"
Vera Farmiga as 'Lorraine' in The Conjuring: Last Rites
Horror Movies The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
Tom Holland in the Uncharted movie
Movies The 32 greatest movies for Uncharted fans to watch
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi in Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands review: "Die-hard fans may be disappointed, but as a blockbuster action-adventure, Badlands kills it"
Bethesda
Action Games Todd Howard apparently "rolled his eyes" at the thought of Troy Baker playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's protagonist, but the game's lead says it "wouldn't have been what it is" without the Last of Us star
Young Ed and Young Lorraine in The Conjuring: Last Rites
Horror Movies The Conjuring: Last Rites prologue was originally "kind of a joke" scene involving the Warrens, a concerned mother, and a misplaced D&D book, says director
Michael Caine as Dolan 36th and Vin Diesel as Melkor in 2015's The Last Witch Hunter
Fantasy Movies After 10 years, Vin Diesel's back with a sequel to his 18% Rotten Tomatoes film The Last Witch Hunter and 92-year-old Michael Caine is coming out of retirement to join him
Borderlands (2024)
Borderlands $112 million Borderlands movie was a critical and commercial disaster, but Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford just wants you to know "it would have been way worse if I directed it"
Dek in Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands is great, but I'd kind of hoped some of those wild fan theories were true – and now I'm wishing that the marketing hadn't been so oddly mysterious
Jack Quaid in The Boys
Superhero Shows A resurfaced Gen V Easter egg in The Boys proves Hughie is almost certainly the most luckless character in recent TV history
Elle Fanning in Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands sets franchise record in opening weekend box office, overtaking original Schwarzenegger movie and Predators
Bill Hader as Barry next to a kid running down the street in Weapons
Horror Movies Weapons director reveals Bill Hader helped alter a pivotal detail in one key character
The killer clown in Hell House LLC
Horror Movies Final Hell House LLC film is a horror disaster, with fans apparently walking out of a screening and a producer asking viewers not to leave bad reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Elle Fanning in Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Predator Badlands director explains how Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the video game Shadow of the Colossus influenced the upcoming sci-fi movie: "The Predator's gotta be badass and ferocious, but also sincere and have a pulse of its own"
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

The Curse Of Harrison Ford

Features
By Matt Mueller published 21 December 2009

Proof Ford isn’t just bad for your career, he can kill it stone-dead…

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Mark Hamill

Mark Hamill

Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi (1977-1983)

The franchise that propelled Ford’s career into the stratosphere – and he was in career-massacre mode right off the bat, leaving Hamill’s in a pulpy heap by the side of the road.

“So why aren’t I Harrison Ford?” the man who was Luke Skywalker once barked to a reporter. “I don’t know – I’m just NOT.”

Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of 8
Karen Allen, Kate Capshaw, Alison Doody

Karen Allen, Kate Capshaw, Alison Doody

Indiana Jones Trilogy (1981-1989)

All three were plucked from obscurity to play Indiana Jones’ spunky/shrieky/rubbish leading ladies, but time spent with Ford doused any A-lister prospects they had.

Okay, Capshaw married the director and Allen was lamely wheeled out for IJ4 but all we can say is, beware Shia LaBeouf…

Page 2 of 8
Page 2 of 8
Julia Ormond

Julia Ormond

Sabrina (1995)

Ormond’s triple-whammy springboard to Hollywood fame and fortune started promisingly in Legends Of The Fall, held steady in First Knight – and then had its soul sucked out by the Ford succubus in Sabrina.

Her explanation for hightailing it out of Hollywood? “I made a deliberate choice to step away and get involved in refugee issues.”

Page 3 of 8
Page 3 of 8
Anne Heche

Anne Heche

Six Days, Seven Nights (1998)

Hot off Donnie Brasco and Wag The Dog, Heche was hand-picked to be Ford’s latest screen cutie.

It should have launched her a few rungs up the Tinseltown ladder.

Instead, woozy from the wreckage, she plunged straight into Psycho, a tell-all bio titled Call Me Crazy and ecstasy-fuelled freakouts which lead her to claim she was God’s daughter.

Page 4 of 8
Page 4 of 8
Kristin Scott Thomas

Kristin Scott Thomas

Random Hearts (1999)

Everyone’s favourite cut-glass Brit was toast of the town after The English Patient and The Horse Whisperer.

Hollywood thought it had found the new Julie Christie, until Ford lured KST, with a Dr. Evil cackle, into playing tonsil hockey with him in this energy-sapping romance.

Those industry doors slammed shut as swiftly as they had opened.

Page 5 of 8
Page 5 of 8
Submarines

Submarines

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)

Fresh from sending three leading ladies’ careers into deep freeze, Ford iced an entire genre next: the submarine thriller.

Following in the buoyant box-office slipstream of The Hunt For Red October, Crimson Tide and U-571, K-19 instead perished in the ghostly fathoms.

“Vee dee-liver or vee drown!” Ford’s rogue Soviet sub captain snarled to his men. They drowned.

Page 6 of 8
Page 6 of 8
Josh Hartnett

Josh Hartnett

Hollywood Homicide (2003)

Once upon a time, Hartnett was a chiselled heartthrob destined for Pitt-stylee superstardom (Warner Bros practically /begged/ him to be Bryan Singer’s Superman).

But as soon as he clashed with Ford in this grumpy git/young gun cop-com, Josh’s career melted into a miasma of flops (Wicker Park, Lucky Number Slevin, The Black Dahlia).

Page 7 of 8
Page 7 of 8
Paul Bettany

Paul Bettany

Firewall (2006)

Bettany still had Hollywood heat when he faced off against Ford in this drowsy compu-thriller.

Since then, he’s been relegated to creep cameos (The Da Vinci Code, The Secret Life Of Bees), disembodied butler voices (Iron Man) and low-rent fantasy (Inkheart), before clawing back some much-needed mojo this year as Charles Darwin in Creation.

Page 8 of 8
Page 8 of 8
Matt Mueller
Read more
Jacob Diaz is surrounded by DNA in MindsEye
"Everything I touch turns to poop": Actor says starring in former GTA lead's faux-open world flop made him think he'd "never work in a game again"
 
 
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg says he thought his "career was virtually over" during the making of Jaws: "Everybody was saying to me, 'You are never going to get hired again'"
 
 
Vera Farmiga as 'Lorraine' in The Conjuring: Last Rites
The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
 
 
Tom Holland in the Uncharted movie
The 32 greatest movies for Uncharted fans to watch
 
 
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi in Predator: Badlands
Predator: Badlands review: "Die-hard fans may be disappointed, but as a blockbuster action-adventure, Badlands kills it"
 
 
Bethesda
Todd Howard apparently "rolled his eyes" at the thought of Troy Baker playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's protagonist, but the game's lead says it "wouldn't have been what it is" without the Last of Us star
 
 
Latest in Movies
Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro's new Frankenstein movie is on its way to breaking into Netflix's top 10 most-watched movies ever
 
 
Glen Powell as Ben Richards in The Running Man
Writer of 1987's Running Man was "totally rooting" for Glen Powell's new movie despite disappointing box office opening: "Maybe the third version in 2045 will stick the landing"
 
 
Black Adam
James Gunn shoots down Pierce Brosnan's suggestion that his Black Adam character could make a return in the DCU's Superman sequel
 
 
The cast of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Knives Out 3 director Rian Johnson says he and star Daniel Craig are "already starting to formulate" ideas for more sequels: "I don’t know why I would stop doing it"
 
 
The Marionette in Five Nights at Freddy's 2
A new Five Nights at Freddy's 2 clip brings the game's creepiest puppet to life – and I'm so excited
 
 
The Na'vi preparing for battle in Avatar: Fire and Ash
A new clip from Avatar: Fire and Ash has been released, featuring an intense chase from the Ash People
 
 
Latest in Features
A soldier standing in heavy armor with his arms crossed in Gears 5
Gears 5 lets you live out your '80s action movie dreams without feeling stuck in the past
 
 
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless in white being held in front of a PS5
The best PS5 headset 2025: SteelSeries holds onto the crown for another year
 
 
Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise in It: Welcome to Derry
I'm glad Pennywise isn't in It: Welcome to Derry much; it cements the HBO show as the most loyal adaptation of Stephen King's original novel yet
 
 
A header for Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined showing Aishe in a martial arts pose
After just an hour playing Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, I'm charmed and unsettled in equal measure – this JRPG remake has surprisingly ambitious storytelling goals
 
 
One Piece filler arc
One Piece changing its release pattern is bittersweet, because the anime's filler episodes only add to the adventure
 
 
Dragon Age: Inquisition screenshot showing a human inquisitor with black shoulder length hair looking at the mark on their hand that glows green
After 11 years and roughly 1500 hours, Dragon Age Inquisition is still the one BioWare RPG I replay the most
 
 
  1. Kirby Air Riders key art showing Kirby blazing along on a warp star as spear waddle dee and metaknight are ahead
    1
    Kirby Air Riders review: "This racer is also equal parts fighting game, minigame collection, and roguelike – and I'm shocked at how well that works"
  2. 2
    Demonschool review: "This Persona-inspired RPG is full of fun, flair, and ready to chomp away at your free time"
  3. 3
    Morsels review: "The Binding of Isaac style roguelike shooting gets somehow grosser, but struggles to set itself apart"
  4. 4
    Dispatch review: "Critical Role fans rejoice – episodic gaming has been superheroically saved by this incredibly charming band of misfits"
  5. 5
    Where Winds Meet review: "Sekiro-style combat meets seemingly every videogame idea ever in this bloated but fun open-world martial arts adventure"
  1. Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda in Wicked: For Good
    1
    Wicked: For Good review: "Builds to an incredibly cathartic conclusion, but isn't quite as captivating as Part 1"
  2. 2
    The Running Man review: "Some fun action and Glen Powell's star power aren't enough to energize this disappointing Stephen King adaptation"
  3. 3
    Predator: Badlands review: "Die-hard fans may be disappointed, but as a blockbuster action-adventure, Badlands kills it"
  4. 4
    Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc review "Storytelling just as compelling as the chainsaws, devils, and visually excessive fight scenes"
  5. 5
    Tron: Ares review: "Misses out by swapping the Grid for the real world"
  1. Rhea Seehorn as Carol Sturka, looking scared, in Pluribus.
    1
    Pluribus season 1 review: "Easily one of the year's best dramas"
  2. 2
    The Witcher season 4 review: "The Henry Cavill-less fourth season is the best yet"
  3. 3
    IT: Welcome to Derry review: "A supremely confident step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown"
  4. 4
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"
  5. 5
    Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...