- Harrison Ford phoned Viacom leadership in 1997 to protest a crowded July release weekend.
- His call helped push James Cameron’s Titanic from July 25 to December 19.
- Air Force One opened July 25 and held #1 for two weeks; Titanic later became the highest-grossing film.
- Conspiracy Theory was also shifted, easing the mid‑summer clash for all three films.
H2: The phone call that changed a release calendar
Harrison Ford is known for a no‑nonsense approach to acting. In the summer of 1997, that approach extended beyond set etiquette and straight into studio boardrooms. With Ford and director Wolfgang Petersen set to open Air Force One on July 25, Ford discovered that James Cameron’s Titanic and Warner Bros.’ Conspiracy Theory were scheduled for the same weekend.
Ford’s manager, Patricia McQueeney, later told the Los Angeles Times that Ford made a direct, measured call to Jonathan Dolgen, head of Viacom’s entertainment group. According to McQueeney, Ford asked bluntly, “What the hell are you guys doing?” The aim was simple: avoid three major releases cannibalising one another.
H3: A ripple effect across studios
Ford didn’t stop at one call. His camp also reached out to Warner Bros about Conspiracy Theory. The pressure appears to have worked. Less than two weeks later, Paramount announced Titanic would vacate the July 25 slot and move to December 19, 1997. Conspiracy Theory shifted to August 8, leaving Air Force One to debut as planned on July 25.
H3: Immediate box office impact
Air Force One opened on July 25 and topped the box office for two consecutive weekends. Conspiracy Theory later debuted at #1 when it arrived in August. Titanic’s move to December placed it in a different competitive landscape and allowed the film to build momentum into the holiday season.
H4: Titanic’s historic run
When Titanic finally opened on December 19, it became a cultural phenomenon. The movie went on to become the highest‑grossing film of all time (at that point) and swept many box office records, earning far more than Air Force One and Conspiracy Theory combined.
H5: Why the story matters
The episode highlights how a single star — even one who downplays celebrity — can influence studio strategy. Ford’s reputation as a straightforward actor who prioritises his work over publicity may have made his intervention especially persuasive. Studios often juggle release dates to maximise revenue; this is a clear, high‑profile example of how those decisions can change after a phone call.
H2: Legacy
More than two decades on, the move is a small but revealing footnote in Hollywood history. It shows the bargaining power established stars hold and how release timing can shape a film’s commercial destiny. In this case, Harrison Ford’s single call helped set the stage for Titanic’s winter domination and preserved strong box office openings for all three films.
(Embedded social links from the original report: Far Out Magazine on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram)
Image Referance: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/harrison-ford-made-cinemas-biggest-movie-change-release-date/
