He Really Threw A Winner My Way:” One Of Harrison Ford’s Biggest Hits Only Happened Because Kevin Costner Couldn’t Do It

Kevin Costner must really like Harrison Ford, as he essentially gifted the actor one of his biggest hits with Air 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 had JFK, Dances with Wolves and The Bodyguard, while Ford had his Jack Ryan movies and The 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 for Air Force One to Ford.

This 1997 Wolfgang Petersen movie can 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 One became one of Harrison Ford’s biggest box office hits outside of franchises like Indiana Jones or Star Wars, grossing over $315 million worldwide (via Box 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!”