Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

[TomH1138]

With news about the development of this project growing, it seems like it's good to have a dedicated thread for it, the same way there's a general thread for Star Wars and a dedicated thread for TFA.

Before we get to the latest news, here's a quick recap so that people don't have to look in other threads for all the news.

Here's the initial announcement that Indy 5 is a go, with Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg returning, with the July 2019 release date showing that Lucasfilm means business this time:

http://comicbook.com/2016/03/15/disney-announces-new-indiana-jones-for-2019-release-with-spielbe/

Here's the notice that David Keopp will be returning as scriptwriter, perhaps to atone for Crystal Skull:

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/indiana-jones-5-writer-david-koepp-1201733969/

...And now, here's the latest:

Frank Marshall (who's producing this as he did all the previous installments) says that Indy 5 will be a "continuation" from Crystal Skull. Marshall likely doesn't mean it's a direct sequel complete with Mutt and aliens. I think he's just trying to re-emphasize that Harrison Ford is definitely the star of this as opposed to a younger actor, and that KotCS is still in continuity -- but probably won't be referenced in any way (in the same way that TFA doesn't deny the existence of midichlorians; it simply doesn't talk about them at all). 

http://screenrant.com/indiana-jones-5-crystal-skull-continuation/

Somewhat more worrisome (at least to me) is Marshall's latest statement, that Indiana Jones will never be recast because Harrison Ford is the only actor who can play him. I think there's still potential to tell stories of a younger Indy, and River Phoenix and Sean Patrick Flanery convinced me that I can accept other actors in the part. 


Still, most of the commenters in the thread below the article seem certain that Disney will eventually move forward with another actor regardless of what Frank Marshall wants. 

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/frank-marshall-indiana-jones-harrison-ford-cinemacon-1201750527/

 

[beezo]

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bba_wPdLxp4[/video]


Hopefully not too far afield, but when video of this guy surfaced, it seemed like a slamdunk for a recast and reboot of Indy.  The idea of a 73 year old Indiana Jones that still wants to cater to action seems like a disaster in slow motion.

EDIT:

[Video=youtube]

Another video featuring this dude.

 

[MWRK]

Woah this guy's definitely got the cut of '77 Harrison Ford's jib ^^^. 

There's another guy out there who rose to (internet) fame after a supercut of his Robin Williams impressions went up online, his name is Jamie Costa, and he is one talented dude:

Whilst he is amazing as Mr. Williams it was his mock Han Solo audition that made me think 'MAN hope he gets cast in the Solo film':

 

[TomH1138]

Speaking of Han Solo, that reminds me of something I meant to mention earlier: By the time Indy 5 premieres, we'll already have a Young Han Solo film. So we'll already have a feel of what it looks like for another actor to play an iconic Harrison Ford role on the big screen. 

It sounds like neither of those guys is in the running at the moment, however talented they are (and, indeed, they are very talented). I think the issue is finding someone who can carry a whole movie, which these guys have not had the opportunity to prove that they can do. I think the producers will be looking for someone who's a good actor with box-office clout and who inhabits the character regardless of their ability to imitate the previous actor. 

As I've probably pointed out before, Roger Moore wasn't trying to do a Sean Connery impression. He just became the next actor to play Bond. And audiences would have probably laughed Chris Pine off the screen if he had deliberately done a William Shatner impression throughout Star Trek '09. ("Spoooock!")

Having said all that, my wife just saw Costa on the screen and said, "Wow. Harrison Ford looks so young there!"    So who am I to argue? But I bet Lucasfilm would want to try either of these guys out on a smaller project -- like a video game or an episode of Rebels -- before letting them have the lead in a big-budget movie.

 

[Moe_Syzlak]

Being able to do an impression of Ford doesn't mean the dude can carry a film. I'd much rather see a compelling new actor than an impression.

 

[beezo]

Being able to do an impression of Ford doesn't mean the dude can carry a film. I'd much rather see a compelling new actor than an impression.

Why not both?

 

[TomH1138]

Also, let's not miss another important question here: How soon can we get Jamie Costa in a Robin Williams biopic?

 

[TMBTM]

Being able to do an impression of Ford doesn't mean the dude can carry a film. I'd much rather see a compelling new actor than an impression.

I understand your logic, I really do. BUT....

I want a perfect impression.

A PERFECT F.....ING IMPRESSION. Is everyone listening? THE MOST PERFECT IMPRESSION OF ALL.
I want to be impressed by the most perfect impression ever.
An impression so perfect that it is perfection itself.
An impression that should be even more than an impression. It should be what Harrison Ford forgot to do to make the character even better.

We are not just talking about "Han Solo". We are talking about Star Wars as a world.
(that's the difference with Indiana Jones. I can easily see another actor as Indy even if Ford will always be "my" Indy. Chris Pratt? All right with me. Do three Indy movies with Pratt then take someone else à a James Bond. I can live with it)

Can we reboot Star Wars? Well, I don't want it, but yes.
Can we make bad Star Wars movies? Well...yes!
Can we make Han Solo being an approximation of himself? 
NO!
I Want Anthony Ingruber to be Han Solo but if he does not have the skills to be the main star in a huge movie, then FIND SOMEONE WHO LOOKS AS GOOD AND WHO SOUNDS AS GOOD OR EVEN BETTER.
They auditioned about 2000 actors for the role. If they can't find someone who can blow my mind even better than this little youtube impersonator, then I call it a fail.

 

[Moe_Syzlak]

Harrison Ford is great as Han Solo and Indiana Jones because he has charisma and is magnetic not because he sounds like Ingruber's impression. IMO the only way either of these characters work without Ford is to have someone so charismatic it makes you forget about Ford.

 

[TMBTM]

Harrison Ford is great as Han Solo and Indiana Jones because he has charisma and is magnetic not because he sounds like Ingruber's impression. IMO the only way either of these characters work without Ford is to have someone so charismatic it makes you forget about Ford.

For Indiana Jones, yes. I agree.
For Han Solo I explained in my previous post why I personally think nothing would 100% really work, for me. Except a perfect illusion.
Star Wars is a whole world. Reboot the whole world? I coul live with that. But change one of the key character while keeping the rest the same? it's not gonna work for me i'm afraid.

 

[yoshif8tures]

Harrison Ford is great as Han Solo and Indiana Jones because he has charisma and is magnetic not because he sounds like Ingruber's impression. IMO the only way either of these characters work without Ford is to have someone so charismatic it makes you forget about Ford.

For Indiana Jones, yes. I agree.
For Han Solo I explained in my previous post why I personally think nothing would 100% really work, for me. Except a perfect illusion.
Star Wars is a whole world. Reboot the whole world? I coul live with that. But change one of the key character while keeping the rest the same? it's not gonna work for me i'm afraid.

This.

 

[TomH1138]

Star Wars is a whole world. Reboot the whole world? I could live with that. But change one of the key character while keeping the rest the same? it's not gonna work for me i'm afraid.

I would not stand for a full reboot of Star Wars, and I think most fans couldn't either. How is that not 1000 times worse than recasting one actor?

 

[Moe_Syzlak]

Harrison Ford is great as Han Solo and Indiana Jones because he has charisma and is magnetic not because he sounds like Ingruber's impression. IMO the only way either of these characters work without Ford is to have someone so charismatic it makes you forget about Ford.

For Indiana Jones, yes. I agree.
For Han Solo I explained in my previous post why I personally think nothing would 100% really work, for me. Except a perfect illusion.
Star Wars is a whole world. Reboot the whole world? I coul live with that. But change one of the key character while keeping the rest the same? it's not gonna work for me i'm afraid.

I agree. I'm not optimistic about a young Han Solo movie, but we've seen it work with a young Obi Wan and I personally would love to see a Ewan-led Obi Wan stand alone. But despite bringing some Alec Guiness to his performance it's not solely an impression. Obviously Ford's Solo is more sacred than Guiness' Kenobi, but the role was recast without a reboot. As I said, I'm not optimistic but if it's going to work they're going to need Pratt-like performance not a hack that can do an impression.

 

[TomH1138]

I agree. I'm not optimistic about a young Han Solo movie, but we've seen it work with a young Obi Wan and I personally would love to see a Ewan-led Obi Wan stand alone. But despite bringing some Alec Guiness to his performance it's not solely an impression. Obviously Ford's Solo is more sacred than Guiness' Kenobi, but the role was recast without a reboot. As I said, I'm not optimistic but if it's going to work they're going to need Pratt-like performance not a hack that can do an impression.

If you were OK with Ewan McGregor and would love an Obi-Wan standalone, and you think that Pratt-like performance matters more than an imitation, then why do you agree with TMBTM saying that Han has to be a perfect imitation and that rebooting is better than recasting?


You're both entitled to those opinions, of course. But I think you're saying opposite things, not the same things. (Or maybe I just haven't had enough coffee this morning.)

 

[Moe_Syzlak]

I only agree that I'm not optimistic about the Young Solo movie being good. It even a good idea.

 

[TomH1138]

Ah, I see. Thanks for clarifying!

 

[DominicCobb]

Emory Cohen's got my vote for Solo.

As for Indy, I say try to stick with HF as long as possible and then reboot with someone who hopefully won't do a Ford impression and will make the character their own.

 

[TMBTM]

Star Wars is a whole world. Reboot the whole world? I could live with that. But change one of the key character while keeping the rest the same? it's not gonna work for me i'm afraid.

I would not stand for a full reboot of Star Wars, and I think most fans couldn't either. How is that not 1000 times worse than recasting one actor?

I would not stand for a full reboot either, I love that disney is taking care of continuity with those movies so far.
Im saying that at least a full reboot I can snob it easily. I can say "it's not for me" and watch another movie.
With a remake or a total reboot, if I don't like it, at least it does not tarnish the movies I liked.
But changing such an iconic figure of Star Wars and pretend it's still the same universe and the same continuity will be hard for me to swallow if it's not PERFECTLY done.
I mean, to me, putting another actor in the black jacket next to Chewie is not the same as recasting Indiana Jones, James Bond style.

To keep it in the thread's subject, I love that they cast Ford once more.
Like I said in other threads, I'm hoping for a little more serious tone. More archeologist, "Sherlock Holmes mystery" style. With still some fun, of course.
But I woul not mind a recast at some point. maybe introducing the new actor in a flashback scene in the next movie (Like River Phoenix in Indy 3) could help the transition when the time will come to make a movie without Ford.

 

[TomH1138]

I would not stand for a full reboot either, I love that disney is taking care of continuity with those movies so far.
I'm saying that at least a full reboot I can snob it easily. I can say "it's not for me" and watch another movie.
With a remake or a total reboot, if I don't like it, at least it does not tarnish the movies I liked.

Ahh. Now I see what you're saying. I completely misunderstood what you meant earlier. Thanks for clarifying! And, yes, a full reboot would in a sense be easier to ignore than a single bad piece of casting.

 

[TomH1138]

It's been a while since there was news, as Spielberg is busy working on Ready Player One at the moment. But a couple of weeks ago, Disney released an updated schedule of their movies for the next few years. Indy 5 got bumped back one year to 2020, since Star Wars: Episode IX got moved up to the summer of 2019 (as opposed to its previous Christmas release date).

http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/841525-disney-movie-schedule

I don't mind Indy 5 being pushed back so that Spielberg and co. take enough time to do it right. I do wonder if Disney is biting off more than it can chew in terms of upping its release schedule. I saw a grid back when this announcement was made; I can't find it now, but it had more names and dates than mentioned in the linked news story: Disney has Avengers: Infinity War, Han Solo, The Incredibles 2, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and an untitled live-action fairy tale remake all slated within weeks of each other for the summer of 2018. Then they have another all-Avengers movie, the final episodic Star Wars film, Toy Story 4, and the live-action Lion King releasing within weeks of each other in the summer of 2019.


As much fun as all that sounds, I think at some point people are not going to be able to afford coming back to the theater so many times in one summer, and one or more of those films will tank. If I were them, I'd have kept the Star Wars movies in December for now, pushed back Ant-Man and the fairy tale movie, and spread their other films around more evenly. But, hey, they didn't ask me.

Anyway, back to Indy 5 ... The timeline of the movies has fluctuated a bit; they're typically set between 45 to 50-ish years before  the movie's release. I think for the next one, they're close enough that they should go only about 40 years into the past ... and set the film in 1981 -- the same year that Raiders of the Lost Ark was originally released.