Legendary actor Harrison Ford is set to play Indiana Jones yet again in fifth Indiana Jones movie scheduled for July 2021. But who will take over once Ford is ready to step away from the role?
No one, if Ford has his way. In an appearance on The Today Show, Ford was asked directly who he would like to see take over when he’s done playing the archaeologist-adventurter.
He gave a wonderful response: “Nobody is going to be Indiana Jones, don’t you get it? I’m Indiana Jones,” Ford told host Craig Melvin with a laugh. “When I’m gone, he’s gone. It’s easy.”
Actor Chris Pratt is reportedly one of the names in the mix to take over as Indiana Jones with a reboot of the franchise in the future. It appears Chris Pine might be in the running as well (or Ford mixed up his Chrises). He said in the interview, “This is a hell of a way to tell Chris Pine this. I’m sorry, man.”
Man, I love Harrison Ford. pic.twitter.com/JQ6HY3lyk3
— Tanooki Joe™️ (@TanookiKuribo) May 24, 2019
Actor Shia LaBeouf starred alongside Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and some thought LaBeouf was being groomed to take over as the main character. Ford shot down that suggestion, telling Time, “Shia can get his own hat. I earned that hat.”
Indiana Jones 5, or whatever it’s called, is being directed by Steven Spielberg, who helmed all the previous films, with Ford reprising his role as the iconic archaeologist. Jonathan Kasdan, the son of Raiders of the Lost Ark writer Lawrence Kasdan, wrote the newest draft of the story. He replaced the previously announced writer, Jurassic Park’s David Koepp.
Spielberg has said that Indiana Jones 5 will probably be Ford’s final Indiana Jones film, though he expects the franchise to continue after that. Spielberg also said it is time for Indiana Jones the character to take “a different form,” and this could be with a woman in the lead role. “We’d have to change the name from Jones to Joan. And there would be nothing wrong with that,” Spielberg said.
The Indiana Jones series premiered with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, which was followed up by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). Together, the movies have made more than $2 billion at the box office.