There was a post on Reddit last year which was around the time that Indiana Jones 5 was being announced. At the time, it was confirmed by Frank Marshall that Indy would be played by Harrison Ford again. And he mentioned that he wouldn’t be doing the “Bond” thing where the character would be played by different actors, even though to date, Indian Jones has actually be played by 10 actors and 7 ‘faces’. Source: http://indianajones.wikia.com/wiki/Indiana_Jones – search for Behind the Scenes.
A couple of days ago, it appears that the story has changed, sort of. Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, is now saying that after Indy 5, the series is going to be rebooted. I find the way he described the progression of movies amusing: “Right now, we’re focused on a reboot, or a continuum and then a reboot of some sort,”… “Well, we’ll bring [Harrison Ford] back, then we have to figure out what comes next. That’s what I mean. It’s not really a reboot, it’s a boot — a reboot. I don’t know.”
Rebooting the reboot 😀
My response to the Reddit post put forth an idea which would allow the series to go on with Indy not just being replaced (as such), with my idea of how you could introduce a ‘new’ character who could play Indy in a ‘continuum’ type set up, and to reboot the franchise.
Indiana Jones is sitting in a nursing home where he’s reluctantly spending the rest of his days. Marion has passed away and his son, Mutt, rarely visits.
A passionate archaeology student visits him there and after introducing himself, sits down with him to have a chat.
The visitor brings up events of Indy’s past, some which are known and some which Indy had tried to keep secret.
At the end of the conversation the visitor tells Indy how much of an impression which he has left on his life and he wants his legacy to live on. He asks if he can take on his name so that the name Indiana Jones can live on in the field of archaeology.
Indy sits there for a moment before he stands up and walks to the door. He closes it slowly. On the back of it hangs his fedora, whip and jacket. He picks up his hat and puts it on his head, taking a final look in the mirror before turning around, taking his hat off and putting it on the students head “So what’s your first adventure Indiana?”
Queue the Indiana Jones theme song.
Or at least something like that.
At least that way, ANYONE could play him. Yes, it’s someone assuming his name, but it allows for the legend to live, not on a ‘Bond’ way, but in a “Prince Bride” type way with the “Dread Pirate Roberts”.
Think that might work?