Credit: Indiana Jones
Did you really think that Harrison Ford’s last foray as Indiana Jones was going to stop Disney and Lucasfilm from trying to capitalize on the intellectual property? According to Variety, the studios are looking to potentially develop a television series, though it isn’t clear what the story or plot will be. The show is in very early development, according to the report, so a script hasn’t been written just yet. Options are currently being explored as a spin-off as we speak.
It’s highly doubtful that Harrison Ford will play a part in the series, should it come to life. The Oscar-nominee pretty much confirmed that he was done playing the iconic character after Indiana Jones 5, “This is it,” Ford said during an appearance at Disney’s D23. “I will not fall down for you again. But thank you so much.”
“Thank you for making these films such an incredible experience for all of us,” he said. “I’m very proud to say that this one is fantastic… Indiana Jones movies are about fantasy and mystery, but they’re also about heart. We have a really great story to tell, as well as a movie that will kick your ass.”
Credit: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The news of Disney and Lucasfilm exploring other ideas outside of Harrison Ford’s character is not a surprise. In fact, it was reported back during the time of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull that Mutt Williams – played by Shia LaBeouf – would take over the franchise. The rumors were never confirmed to be true; however, it’s clear that Mutt was meant to be something more than just a one-off appearance. However, the actor may have killed any potential for Mutt Williams in later installments himself, as LaBeouf was extremely critical of the film once the negative press for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull rolled in.
“I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished. I have a relationship with Steven that supersedes our business work. And believe me, I talk to him often enough to know that I’m not out of line. And I would never disrespect the man. But when you drop the ball you drop the ball.”
Credit: Indiana Jones
He continued: “You get to monkey-swinging and things like that and you can blame it on the writer and you can blame it on Steven. But the actor’s job is to make it come alive and make it work, and I couldn’t do it. So that’s my fault.” That wasn’t the only time that the actor took jabs at Steven Spielberg, and even Harrison Ford called him a “f**king idiot” for speaking out against the film. It was finally confirmed in 2017 that Mutt Willaims wouldn’t be in the upcoming Indiana Jones 5. Though Shia LaBeouf is seeking help for his problems at the moment, the controversial actor’s actions were likely a reason why Spielberg opted not to bring him in for the final installment.
This isn’t the first time that a spin-off of Indiana Jones was made as The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles aired for two seasons on ABC from 1992-1993 and four made-for-TV specials spanning from 1994 and 1996. There’s no word on what potential names could spearhead the television spin-off. Perhaps it could be another prequel following Indiana Jones before the first film? Or maybe it could put the spotlight on one of the side characters from one of the respective features? The series will feel weird in the early stages because Indiana Jones is such an iconic character that it’ll be hard to have anyone else step in front of him. It’s not impossible to create a compelling story based on the world of Indiana Jones, but Disney and Lucasfilm should understand that they’ll be fighting an uphill battle without Harrison Ford front and center. We’ll keep you updated should more information come to light.
Follow Us
