Kevin Costner must really like Harrison Ford, as he essentially gifted the actor one of his biggest hits withAir Force One. Costner and Ford were two of Hollywood’s biggest stars during the 1990s, and between them fronted an almost embarrassing number of box-office hits. Costner hadJFK,Dances with WolvesandThe Bodyguard, while Ford had hisJack Ryanmovies andThe Fugitive. Given the similarities between the pair, it’s a surprise they’ve never worked together, though Costner was kind enough to hand the script forAir Force Oneto Ford.
This 1997Wolfgang Petersen moviecan be accurately summed up as “Die Hard on Air Force One,” where Ford’s President James Marshall has to deal with a terrorist takeover of the titular plane.Air Force Onebecame one ofHarrison Ford’s biggest box office hitsoutside of franchises likeIndiana JonesorStar Wars, grossing over $315 million worldwide (viaBox Office Mojo). It’s one of his most fondly remembered, too, thanks to a great supporting cast (including Gary Oldman as the villain) and great one-liners like “Get off my plane!”
1923 Just Gave Harrison Ford Something Kevin Costner’s John Dutton Never Got In 5 Yellowstone Seasons
1923’s treatment of Jacob Dutton and his family makes John Dutton III’s death in Yellowstone even sadder, since he never got to have one thing.
Harrison Ford Landed Air Force One Thanks To Kevin Costner
“Get ON my plane!”
Prior toFord getting cast inAir Force One, he was coming off the back of two duds: the 1995 remake ofSabrinaand the troubled IRA dramaThe Devil’s Own. Ford was in need of a hit, but despite the two men not knowing each other very well, Costner handed the screenplay toAir Force Oneto him.Costner was originally set to play Marshall, but when scheduling forced him out, he insisted Ford was the only one who could replace him. Says Ford (viaLos Angeles Times):
Kevin knew this was a big commercial movie and his schedule didn’t allow him to do it. And he told [the producers] he would let it go only if I could do it. Now Kevin and I are not intimates. I’ve met him on a number of occasions and I like him very much. And,” he says with a laugh, “I like him a lot more now because he really threw a winner my way.”
In hindsight, it would have been the wiser move for Costner to takeAir Force Onehimself; instead, he starred in and directed the post-apocalyptic dramaThe Postman. The movie bombing - alongside the perceived failure of his 1995 blockbusterWaterworld- saw Costner’s leading man status fall into decline. Still,Costner was clearly more passionate aboutThe Postman, and Ford ultimately felt like the better fit forAir Force One’slead.
Air Force One Is Among Ford’s Best Movies
Air Force One is a high-concept pitch that really takes flight
During his heyday, Ford had a talent for spotting scripts that would be both commercially appealingandgive him great characters to play. This was true ofWitness,The Fugitive, andAir Force One, which is one of the star’s most purely entertaining films from the 1990s. It’s more of a claustrophobic thriller than a slam-bang action movie, though its setpieces are also nail-biting when they arrive.Air Force Oneis also a prime example of the types of original, high-concept projects that used to get greenlit in Hollywoodbefore franchises and IP largely took over the business.
Air Force Oneis aided immensely by Petersen’s suspenseful direction (who was no stranger to movies set in tight spaces afterDas Boot) and he lets his actors cook. Ford also excelled at playing action leads who didn’t feel invincible; he can kick ass when needed, but it’s the circumstances that force Marshall into saving the day. Ford is also backed by a very game cast, including Glenn Close as his Vice President, William H. Macy, and Jürgen Prochnow.
Harrison Ford Followed Kevin Costner Into His Biggest Franchise
1923 brought Harrison Ford into the Yellowstone saga
The closest Ford has come to working with Kevin Costner is by fronting1923, a prequel toYellowstone. Costner hardly ever returned for sequels to his own movies, which made his five-season run onYellowstonehis biggest franchise by default. The Taylor Sheridan-created series went from strength to strength each season and has been spun off into other shows like1883.Given that Ford is playing a descendant of Costner’s John Dutton (who is long dead by the time the latter was born), they don’t get to share any scenes.
There are reports thatAir Force Twois being developed, with Harrison Ford set to play a role in the project…
Still,1923allowed Ford to front the kind of lavish, old-school Western that rarely get produced now. Sheridan has a large checkbook when it comes to hisYellowstonesaga, so it’s hardly surprising he can lure the likes of Ford or Helen Mirren to the project. Intriguingly,Air Force Onemight become a belated franchise for Fordtoo. There were reports in 2024 thatAir Force Twowas being developed, with Ford set to play a role in the project.
If a sequel does come together, maybe Ford should make sure Costner gets a role as a thank you for handingAir Force Oneto himon a plate. It appears Ford doesn’t have any current movies in the pipeline followingCaptain America: Brave New World, which cast him as another POTUS. Ford is set to return for the upcoming third season ofShrinking, however.
Air Force One
Cast
In the 1997 action thriller Air Force One, President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) is forced to defend his plane from Russian hijackers while trying to save his family and administration. It is directed by Wolfgang Petersen, with Gary Oldman playing terrorist Egor Korshunov and Glenn Close appearing as Vice President Kathryn Bennett.
Harrison Ford
Discover the latest news and filmography for Harrison Ford, known for Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
