Replacing Ford as Jones? Would it be a sin?

There's a very simple way around the Ford issue that allows Ford one last hurrah in the role and introduce a new actor as Indy... use a formula for Indy 5 similar to Young Indy, with a dash of the Princess Bride to boot.

It's 1981 and Old Indy and Marion are watching the grandkids... one of the kids stumbles into the basement where Indy keeps a few trinkets from his adventures. They ask where it came from... the kids wants to hear another one of Grandpa Indy's stories. Flashback 1964 in the Middle East... Sallah and Indy are on one last adventure which kicks off our traditional Indiana Jones opening with a rousing action adventure scene. Indy retrieves the relic from the bad guys and thus concludes the opening. The kids are mortified... that was a short story! And they get up to leave.

Indy wryly comments: Sit down, that was only half the story!

Flash back to 1928 as Indy relays the original story about the relic... the remainder of the movie is a rip roaring adventure with new actors playing Indy and Sallah, a new female lead, a villainous bad guys who pose a worldwide threat. (NOTE: we could even cut back a couple of times with Old Indy interacting with the kids as the story proceeds). Indy saves and a new actor is primed for the role.

We conclude with the kids satisfied with their Grandpa's story... time to go home. As they are leaving one of the kids spots Indy's battered fedora:

Grandkid: Is that... it?
Indy: Yup, it's been with me through a few scrapes.
Marion: Ha! I thought I put that ting away in the attic years ago.

Indy takes the hat.

Grandkid: Next time we come over, can you tell us another story?

Indy puts the old fedora on once again, grins...

Indy: Anytime kid.

Indy nods and winks (sort of to the audience)

FADE OUT....

Sorry, but most audience members would eat that up as the torch will have effectively been passed on.

Yancy

 

Can't see anyone else taking over his role.

 

It is either a relative of Indy or no one else. Besides it works much better if its set in the now with a new characters that are related to Indy.

 

How about Henry Jones The 5th and his fraternal twin sister Indiana Jones. She is the archaeologist. He is a former marine. Mid to late twenties they are. She could seeking money for an expedition. The person funding her expedition is the granddaughter of Marcus Brody. Who allows her dimwitted son to join her expedition despite getting them into and out of sticky situations. The opening scene could be the museum opening a new wing titled the Henry Jones Collection which would include artifacts and pictures of places he has seen. Plus the famous whip and hat are in a display case. Pages from the diary could be blown up along with pictures of the family. Of course an small scene of the great grandson asking for directions inside the museum to some patrons after getting lost. The Jones twins are there as honored guests. Henry mingles with the ladies. As people enjoy the night Indy and the granddaughter are discussing the expedition and make a toast to it. Indy goes back to the party and an evil figure sneaks into the office and you hear a scream. A man comes running out and Henry goes after him and Indy goes to the grand daughter. Indy and the grand daughter speak a few words before she passes. Meanwhile while the chase ensues the man knocks over a statue that breaks open the case containing the whip and the hat. Thinking fast Henry grabs the whip and uses it grab a chandelier and swing to the first floor of the museum. At that point the man races out of the museum and a foot and car chase ensues. Both men grab a car meant for another person as the valets step out of the vehicles. After a crash the man speaks a few words and dies. Next morning they are all in the museum going over evidence with the police. She decides to do the expedition and needs help from her brother. With the whip at his side, Henry reaches into the case containing the fedora. He picks it up and goes to put it on and stops. Instead he puts it on the head of his sister. This is more style sis, he says as he passes her the whip. And then you hear the familiar indy tune as we cut to another scene.
After getting to where they go the part of Sallah could be played by a man who was saved by Henry Jones the 4th on an archaeological expedition years ago. The twins know the man because they spent time with the family. Henry knows the daughter quite well. Even though now she is a widow. The group that made her a widow is also responsible for killing Brody's grand daughter at the museum.

 

With Shia retiring from public life, I don't think a Mutt movie is in the cards.

 

If the rumor about Ford only coming back for Star Wars if they start work on a fifth Indy film is true, then Disney is in an interesting position. I can't see Shia LaBeouf being the star. It isn't about Mutt, everyone wants to see Indy. For the fifth film at least, they'll probably ignore Mutt, set the film a few years before KotCS, and have a new cast of supporting characters. It can be a classic Indy adventure, and with strong enough supporting characters, Harrison won't have to do too many crazy stunts, even though I thought he did great in KotCS. Then in 20 years we'll get a remake and everyone will complain.

 

I wouldn't mind a new actor taking up the Indy mantle, but I'm racking my mind trying to think of a good actor to do it. Maybe Chris Evans? I don't know.

 

Indy NEVEr retrieves his relics

Doesn't get the Ark (just happens to be there and then the Government takes it)
Doesn't get the Golden Idol
Doesn't get the Diamond
Doesn't get the magic stones
Doesn't get the Cross
Doesn't get the Holy Grail
Doesn't get the Crystal Skull

 

Sure he does... Cross of Coronado... he gets that at the tail end of the opening of Last Crusdade

 

yea 1 out of 7 isn't a good record but i believe the novel or script or maybe was the comic, said he lost when he went over board.

 

A sin? Sure. But, not an unforgivable one.

 

No it wouldn't be a sin. Disappointing? Sure. Do I want to see it happen? I don't know. It won't diminish the earlier films. Whatever they do, they should give an unknown actor the chance to make it his own. It's gonna happen where anyone wants it or not. Get over it.

 

I think its only a matter of time before the character appears with another actor playing Indy. It might not be whilst Harrison is still alive but the Indy character and films are too iconic and successful not to be remade / rebooted in some capacity.

 

Well, it will be tough to see anyone take over the role, but if they must do it, go back to his early 20's.

 

i recently had a similar idea. my idea was two have a half and half adventure with the same relic ala the beginning of tlc. that way the opening action set piece introduces a younger actor pre-tod losing to a young bad guy. then it cuts to harrison/indy hearing about this same relic/bad guy again. he goes after the relic a second time and deals with the same enemy who's also older. as the film progresses harrison tells sidekick/sallah what his younger self did at certain times and we are shown the young actor in flashback.

during the film old indy remembers other incidents as young indy/new actor and the situations mirror each other. young indy jumps to a vehicle/old indy tries the same thing but fails because of his age. young indy gets to the situation that caused him to fail the first time/old indy gets to a similar situation as the film ends but uses his age and experience to triumph over adversity.

what this does is keep harrison and still introduce a younger actor to play the character in future films.

 

No. It would be a sin keeping him on as old as he is.

 

As long as Ford is willing and able to play the part (which he is) they should let him continue in the role.
When Ford retires from Indy the series ends, at least for me.

 

he's too old. he looked old in the last one and that was 7 years ago.

 

Bond has been replaced several times and he's one of the most iconic characters ever. Is Jones above being recast?

 

And what is wrong with looking old? Indy grows old like a regular human being,
Him being old and still kicking ass just shows that he's even awesomer in his old age then when he was young and everything was easier to do.
What is it with so many people that makes them hate seeing older people? Are all the complainers really young or something? Life isn't over just because you're old. And Harrison Ford is not a frail old man by any stretch.

 

lol i don't hate older people but he's past 70 now. Indy is a VERY physical role. (where as Han Solo didn't require a lot of hand to hand combat).

 

I think we're all forgetting a very viable route for this franchise: Harrison in one last Indy film, passing the torch to Jonathan Ke Quan...Short Round!

 

Now THAT, as they say, is change I can believe in.

 

I would be okay with it if they were telling a story about a younger Indy. But that's the only way. If it takes place after 4 then it would have to be Ford.

 

Not if that actor has the gravitas, wit, and general feel of Ford. But it has to be a younger version of Ford's Indy, not a completely new version of the character. The movie could be a prequel, perhaps set in the early 1920s. I know this kind of conflicts with the young Indy TV show, but if they do another movie that's the only way I think it could work.