Following the immense success of Yellowstone, several series in the universe were planned by Taylor Sheridan. This included the Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren prequel series, 1923. Besides being helmed as a commendable addition to the Yellowstone universe, the prequel series is also famous for another significant detail- its budget of $500k a minute.
Several series like Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, and The Rings of Power have boasted an insane production cost. 1923 has also made a name for its budget with a shocking sum of $500k per minute. However, it is also noteworthy that Harrison Ford’s hobby of flying also has a massive contribution to the $200 million show.
How did Harrison Ford raise the cost of 1923?
Taylor Sheridan has been actively working on expanding the Yellowstone universe. Following the success of Yellowstone and its prequel 1883, when 1923 was made, the production cost went to a massive amount of $500,000 a minute (via The Wall Street Journal).
Reportedly, Paramount rushed the making of the series, which had a massive impact on the budget. The season was reduced from 10 to 8 episodes, and it led the production budget to stand at a record $200 million. While shooting at real locations and special effects elevated the production cost, Harrison Ford‘s love for flying planes was also not ignored by the studio.
Harrison Ford’s hobby of flying prop planes caused expensive flight insurance coverage and led the production budget to rise. Later, Taylor Sheridan also stated that everything he filmed in 1923 was real which was bound to raise the production cost. He argued that 1923 was much costlier than 1883. In an interview with Deadline, he praised Paramount for their trust in him:
“You saw six thousand sheep, three thousand cattle, and as this show keeps going, you’re in Africa. All real. You know how hard it is to move a crew around in Africa in 2022 with Covid, and all the rules and all the politics?…So, that’s the thing about Paramount that’s been so great for me. They’re so malleable to the storyteller, or at least to me as the storyteller.”
With more additional series planned for the Yellowstone universe, the audience will look forward to seeing if another show is mounted on such a budget. Along with the last 6 episodes of the last season of Yellowstone, the last season of 1923, another prequel 1944, spin-off 6666, and sequel series 2024 are also in development.
Will Harrison Ford return for the second season of 1923?
Along with the pending part of Yellowstone’s Season 5, 1923 is also slated to release a second season. It was announced long back in February 2023 although we did not have any further updates on it. But it has also raised another concern among the fans about the returning cast members.
Reportedly, Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren are expected to return in the new season along with most others. The series focuses on the challenges faced by the Dutton family during the Great Depression. Ford has previously stated that his role as Jacob Dutton echoes his real life. He was shocked to find out the similarities when he first got hold of the script.
The Indiana Jones star has earlier shown excitement in returning to the show. Given Ford has such a bond with the story, it is almost confirmed that he would return. It was due to the Hollywood strikes that the second season faced such a significant delay.