Disney’s announcement Tuesday that it was pushing back the release of a new Indiana Jones until 2020 whips up some doubt that Harrison Ford will still be able to be the one under the trademark fedora.
He will be forever associated with the role of the adventurous archaeologist after four films starting with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. Now that the film is coming out on July 10, 2020, however, it means Ford will turn 77 during filming.
And while the actor is in remarkable shape for his age—recently revisiting his iconic characters from Star Wars and Blade Runner, there are still physical limits.
“As Harrison matures so does his character and yet he did so many of his own stunts in The Force Awakens,’” Steven Spielberg told this reporter for a story in the New York Daily News last year.
“He keeps himself in such brilliant physical shape that I don’t believe when 2018 comes around, which is when I’m slated to direct the fifth installment coming out in 2019, I think Harrison is going to be able do a lot of what the script is asking him to do.”
But winning over social media proved a lot more difficult. News of his return to the fold led to enough snarky memes to fill a temple of doom.
Indiana Jones and the Early Bird Special
— Will McAvoy (@WillMcAvoyACN) March 15, 2016
If not for the steadfast resolve of Spielberg and co-creator George Lucas to keep the franchise going with its original lead, Disney and Lucasfilm would have likely moved on to a reboot by now. Indeed there were rumblings that Chris Pratt was eyed for such a project.
For now, having Ford fronting the movie is still the Holy Grail for all involved.
—Ethan Sacks for RealClearLife
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