Harrison Ford Set to Play Indiana Jones One More Time But There’s a Major Catch
After rising to fame playing Han Solo in Star Wars, Harrison Ford added another instantly iconic character to his filmography when he portrayed Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Considered one of the greatest films of all time, Raiders earned several accolades and was the highest-grossing film of 1981, spawning a massively successful franchise. Ford reprised the role in four sequels, most recently playing the famed archeologist in 2023’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. It seemed as if that would be the last time Ford would bring Dr. Jones to life, but he’s set to do it one more time … but there’s a major catch.
During the D23 Expo, Harrison Ford announced that “for the first time ever,” he will be the model for the Indiana Jones animatronic for a Disney Parks attraction. Coming soon to Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort is Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent. According to the official Disney Parks Blog, the ride will “blend the thrill of a classic Indiana Jones adventure with the rich cultural details that are quintessential to Animal Kingdom.”
The original storyline devised for the attraction sees attendees accompany Indiana Jones in an ancient temple, attempting to find the Maya Underworld. The temple is guarded by a giant snake-like creature called the Tsukán. As the ride revs up, people “are unwittingly sucked through a portal to the Underworld, where they’ll have to escape perilous dangers, like monstrous bats, larger-than-life scorpions, fire and flame, and of course, snakes.” There’s also a “final confrontation” against the Tsukán that caps the whole ride off.
Disney Is Finding Ways to Keep Indiana Jones Alive Outside of the Movies
When Disney brought Star Wars back to the big screen, it was a phenomenal success; The Force Awakens grossed $2 billion worldwide and is still the highest-grossing film of all time domestically (at least for a few more weeks). Four of Disney’s first five Star Wars films earned over $1 billion at the box office, easily recouping what the Mouse House spent to acquire Lucasfilm. The studio wasn’t so lucky with its Indiana Jones revival; Dial of Destiny was a commercial bomb, earning just $384 million globally against a net production budget of $352.3 million. That disappointing performance effectively killed the Indiana Jones film series, and two planned TV spinoffs were later cancelled.
Earlier this year, former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said “I don’t think anybody is interested right now in exploring it” when addressing the possibility of future Indiana Jones films. There have been rumors about a potential reboot, but nothing has been officially confirmed at this time. In the meantime, Disney is finding other ways to keep the Indiana Jones IP alive, capitalizing on its longstanding popularity. One of the more notable recent examples was the video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which earned widespread acclaim for its ability to capture the spirit and tone of the original film trilogy. The new Myth of the Jade Serpent attraction at Disney World is another instance of Disney using its immense resources to keep Indiana Jones visible in the public eye.
Green lighting things like video games and theme park attractions is a smart move on Disney’s part. It allows them to expand the franchise without pouring resources into a new film. Ford obviously can’t play prime Indy on screen anymore, but his likeness can be used in other mediums to tell more Indiana Jones stories. What we see in the movies is only the tip of the iceberg of the archeologist’s adventuring career. He embarked on many more quests, and now fans can experience them. The immersive nature of video games and theme park rides is another reason why these outlets are perfect for a franchise like Indiana Jones. Fans can feel like they’re truly part of the adventure.
Theme parks are clearly a major part of Disney’s bottom line. The company wasn’t overly concerned about The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s low box office gross because the film sparked interest in merchandise and theme park attractions. The Indiana Jones movie series may not have much of a future, but it’s still a legendary property that has generations of fans. There should be a lot of excitement for the Myth of the Jade Serpent, and people will probably share Indy’s fear of snakes by the ride’s end.
