Rumour: Indiana Jones Disney+ TV Series in Development

Variety were reporting this morning that Disney+ may be developing an Indiana Jones TV series.

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/indiana-jones-series-disney-plus-1235416179/

"Disney is actively looking to develop an Indiana Jones TV show for Disney+, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.

The Mouse House and Lucasfilm have specifically been bringing up the possibility of a streaming show set in the world of the globe trotting archaeologist in general meetings with writers of late, sources say. They are still looking for a writer to take on the project, thus no plot details are available. Given that, it is unknown if a series would serve as a prequel to or spinoff of the film franchise, or if it would tie into the upcoming fifth Indiana Jones film, similar to how Disney has tied its Marvel shows on Disney+ into the Marvel Cinematic Universe".

 

I love that basic idea, though that's only half of what I want. I still think 20-something Indy should appear as Abner's apprentice/star pupil.

Not only do I think that would make for a better show, but I don't know that a general audience will tune in without Indy himself involved.

 

IF this comes off and gets made (possibly a lot will depend on the success of Indy 5) who will they get to play Indy? Its a big ask to get a new face in for them to be accepted in such an iconic role. However the potential rewards of it being a success are huge because I can see them exploring more films in the future.

 

I really wish Indiana Jones 5 was just the end of it and the series would be put to bed after that, honestly. India Jones isn't really clamoring for an "expanded universe" on screen the way something like Star Wars is (and even in Star Wars' case, it is starting to get tiring with so many releases hitting one after another after another).

I guess the appeal of doing Abner (as opposed to, say, Short Round) right now is the era that comes along with it. A story about Abner allows for them to explore an earlier era in history, presumably anywhere from late 1800s to the early 1920s (with potential appearances from young Indiana Jones and young Marion, at that), which would dial things back much closer to the timeframe of the original films where there's still so much more left in the world for the characters to discover and much farther away from our present reality. If they wanted to do something with Short Round starring Ke Huy Quan (which I bet they do at some point, given his recent resurgence as an actor), then that would have to be set much closer to Indiana Jones 5 in the late 1960s or early 1970s given Quan's age.

If this Abner project (or Short Round any other future Indiana Jones offshoot) does come to happen, then I of course hope for the best, because I would absolutely love to love all of it. It's just a bit hard to get excited right now about yet another franchise resurrection spinning off into more 'content' (I hate that word so much) in every direction you look.

 

Indiana Jones is too iconic a character for Disney to leave alone. There’s too much money to potentially be made.

 

Yeah, but sometimes stories actually ending is nice too.

 

Unfortunately that isn’t the world that Disney live in.

 

100% agreed. I'm super excited about Indy V (mainly for Ford and Mangold), but after that, I think it's time to just leave it.

 

I agree and it's pretty clear that audiences didn't accept Alden as Young Han (even though I thought he was great). But I also think that people are much more likely to accept a Young Indy because:

1) It's already been done in Last Crusade (to great acclaim) and the Young IJ Chronicles. Unlike Han Solo, fans have already seen someone else play Indy.

2) It's going to be an extended TV series not a two-hour film. Audiences will have at least 6-12 episodes to get used to a Young Indy. There will be resistance at first, but if the show if good, people will come around.

3) Off the top of my head, I don't know who could play College Indy. But if Abner Ravenwood is the main character, you can cast an established star in that role and take a lot of pressure off of the new Indy. For the sake of argument, imagine Christian Bale or Colin Farrell playing Abner. Whoever you cast as 20-something Indy wouldn't have to carry the entire project like Alden did with Solo. They would just have to be good in a supporting role.

 

I like Alden but I think in instances we need to cast someone who likes like the actor as well, Alden didn’t look like Harrison ford ! Usually I would say this doesn’t matter but when the character has such an iconic on screen presence it does!

 

I'm just upset that Solo pretty much stalled Alden's career. I loved him in Hail, Caesar! and I want to see more of him.

 

I'm hoping this is an actual Indiana Jones led production rather than someone taking up the mantle. Which I wouldn't see the point doing. The finale of KOTCS says all I think about that issue.

 

Jeff Sneider says the Ravenwood series is dead at Disney. He said LFL is under orders to stick to SW only from now on.

 

Why wouldn’t they make this decision until after Indy 5’s box office?

 

I think they’re bracing for impact with Indy 5.

 

That bad?

 

Same as always.

 

Bracing for the impact of a huge box office haul and critical acclaim, probably. The below is from a source who has shared very, very accurate information based on test screenings in the past.

 

If they know they have a critical acclaimed hit on their hands, then why would they cancel further work on the franchise?

 

Well, that's presuming that this is actually true and not just a load of malarky or some bad info Sneider received, which has happened more than once. But let's presume it is true: Indiana Jones is a much harder IP to get additional content out of than Star Wars. It took like 19 years for Lucas himself to get a sequel he felt confident enough to make, and even that was just barely confident judging by how he, Spielberg and Ford ultimately felt about the film. It's now taken another 15 years to get another film, with the lead actor now clocking in at 80 years old.

Lucas also wasn't cranking out ancillary media apart from The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, which was a very expensive money pit, so I don't think this is an instance of, "Disney thinks this one movie is going to be terrible and therefore they want to let the entire thing sleep forever." I just think it's a tricky franchise to work with because you don't have a lot of options for how to move forward. You either recast the lead role, which nobody seems to want them to do and which Lucasfilm clearly has clearly developed an aversion to doing anyway post-Solo, or you cast a new lead, which everyone also seems to really not want. If it's true that this was going to be a series about a young Abner Ravenwood, I don't think anyone was really chomping at the bit for the adventures of Indy's unseen mentor. I mean, just marketing that would be a nightmare, as I imagine most casual viewers would see the trailers and dismiss it as some sort of ripoff (of which the world has plenty) rather than an actual prequel.

From Disney's standpoint, Lucasfilm's time (and money, since Disney is also telling Marvel Studios to drastically scale back their output) is best spent on new Star Wars movies. No matter how much Dial of Destiny makes at the box office this summer, it is essentially a financial cul-de-sac, and I guarantee you Disney wishes Rogue Squadron was coming out this December instead because it is much easier to both merchandise and iterate on.

 

Me just wanting a Captain America and Indy crossover comic

 

Totally agree and I think the biggest problem they have is Indiana Jones with no Harrison Ford. Personally I think they'll rest the franchise after Indy 5 and in time, however long it takes, they will re-cast Indy for a movie. It potentially too profitable a property to sit on a shelf forever. They could do an animated series with someone else voicing Indy, but is it worth it really?

 

Instead of making another Tomb Raider movie just bring in a Lara Croft character in an Indiana Jones movie/show.

Lara Croft is basically a female Indiana Jones anyways. Amazon and Disney could work out a deal.