'Indiana Jones' swings into Cannes Film Festival; Harrison Ford honored before joyous festivalgoers

‘Indiana Jones’ swings into Cannes Film Festival; Harrison Ford honored before joyous festivalgoers

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Calista Flockhart, left, and Harrison Ford pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)

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This image released by Lucasfilm shows Harrison Ford in a scene from “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” (Lucasfilm Ltd. via AP)

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Harrison Ford poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

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Phoebe Waller-Bridge poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

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Mads Mikkelsen, from left, Harrison Ford, director James Mangold and Phoebe Waller-Bridge pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

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Gemma Chan poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)

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Harrison Ford poses for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

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Harrison Ford, left, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge pose for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

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Phoebe Waller-Bridge poses for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

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Mads Mikkelsen poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

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Director James Mangold, left, Harrison Ford, and Shaunette Renee Wilson pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)

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Ethann Isidore, left, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)

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Phoebe Waller-Bridge poses for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Photo by Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)

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By JAKE COYLE

Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford swung into Cannes on Thursday for the world premiere of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” in one of the most anticipated events of the French Riviera festival.

Fedoras abounded in the throngs of onlookers who watched Ford and company hit the red carpet.

Ford walked hand in hand with his wife, Calista Flockhart, and later joined his cast mates as John Williams’ score played across the red carpet. Among those in attendance were Disney chief Bob Iger, Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy and filmmaker Steve McQueen.

Ford, 80, who has said “Dial of Destiny” will be his last performance as the character, also received an honorary Palme d’Or from the Cannes Film Festival. Last year, Cannes feted “Top Gun Maverick” and Tom Cruise in a similar manner.

Inside the theater, Ford was greeted with thunderous applause. He beamed and looked around the theater before receiving the honorary Palme.

“I’m very touched. I’m very moved by this. They say when you’re about to die, you, you see your life flash before your eyes. I just saw my life flash before my eyes,” Ford said after a clip reel of his career was played.

“A great part of my life, not all of my life,” Ford continued, thanking Flockhart as well as “Dial of Destiny” director James Mangold and co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

It’s not the first “Indiana Jones” film to premiere in Cannes. The fourth installment, “Indiana and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” launched at the 2008 edition of the festival. Critics and fans alike dismissed “Crystal Skull” as a misjudged sequel, though it still made $790 million worldwide.

This time, “Dial of Destiny” is hoping to make a similar if not larger global impact without its famous filmmakers. The new film, which the Walt Disney Co. will release June 30 in the U.S., is the first “Indiana” film not directed by Steven Spielberg or with a story credit to George Lucas. Instead, Mangold (“Ford vs. Ferrari,” “Logan”) takes the reins for a film co-starring Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas and Mads Mikkelsen.

JAKE COYLE

Coyle is a film writer and critic for The Associated Press.