The Future of the Indiana Jones Franchise: Beyond The Fedora

The Future of Indiana Jones/The Rise of Mutt/5th Movie/Animated Series/ect?



The purpose of this topic is to simply discuss the future of the Indiana Jones franchise be it the much rumored fifth Indiana Jones movie, (in which it is said that Indy will pass the fabled Fedora on to Mutt) rumors of an animated Indiana Jones TV program and other things related to Indiana Jones that just can’t seem to be confirmed until well, until they become reality and indeed that is IF they ever become a reality. Howbeit we are Indiana Jones fans and we cannot just remain silent until Lucasfilm satisfies our desire for more Indiana Jones adventure. As far as Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is concerned I really liked the movie and I’d like to see more of Mutt Williams and Agent Irina Spalko.

Well I have been seriously concerned that Indiana Jones does not get the same kind attention that Star Wars is given. However, it seems as if that just might be changing for the better.

For example: We’ve just witnessed the release of the highly anticipated Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings, then there was the large success of LEGO Indiana Jones The Video Game last year and now LucasArts has announced the much awaited for LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues and it also seems as if a new Indiana Jones comic book or junior novel appears on the shelf at Books A Million ever other month and furthermore as of today I’ve just been reading new rumors as of last month regarding the fifth Indiana Jones movie and that is precisely what has inspired me to make this thread along with the nostalgia that I‘ve been having for all things Indiana Jones.

Rumor has it that 20th Century Fox now has the rights to the property pertaining to Indiana Jones five. While we all know that Paramount has handled all the Indiana Jones movies in the past it comes as no surprise to me since FOX was associated with all the Star Wars movies until George Lucas launched the new highly successful new Star Wars The Clone Wars franchise via Warner Brothers Entertainment and so that gives this new rumor some foundation. Below is a link to the new rumor.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Indiana-Jones-5-Happening-At-Fox-13509.html

RedeemedChild said:

As far as Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is concerned I really liked the movie and I?d like to see more of Mutt Williams and Agent Irina Spalko.

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Lol, I think you fell asleep at the end of the movie, because otherwise you'd know Spalko kind of died...

And there's already a thread where everything about Indy 5 is being discussed and speculated.

Honestly, I think there is no real future to the franchise.

I don't see a 5th movie happening and, given my feelings about the last one, I don't really WANT to see a movie happen.

The ancillary product has met with lackluster sales and reception. "Tomb of the Gods", for instance. The Hasbro toy line was cancelled, ditto the Staff of Kings book.

Even during the 80s, the franchise, though wildly popular in the theaters, wasn't strong enough to drive ancillary product. And, today, generally speaking, kids don't care about Indiana Jones at all. It's not "their" franchise, it's from another era.

The success of "Crystal Skull" financially was driven mostly by nostalgia and family viewers, but it's not like it created a generation of new kids clamoring for more Indy product.

I see the future of the franchise as limited to the occasional high-end collectible from Sideshow or Gentle Giant and a video game once in a blue moon, probably if and when there are new platforms.

Maybe the occasional comic book, but even that's a little iffy.

Sorry, folks, as much as I wish it wasn't the case, I think we have to accept the fact that Indy's glory years were twenty years ago.

I think it's slightly possibly there will be a franchise reboot, but that is probably decades away.

I mostly agree with Lance, I think the franchise doesn't have much future in it. As he mentioned, the cancellation of the toy line and the Staff of Kings novel, along with the platform downgrade of the Staff of Kings game, does not bode well. My hunch on the success of the Lego Indy games is that it is due to the fact that they are Lego games, not that they are Indy games.

I think they might make one more Indy film, but only if it gets going within the next year or two. 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of Raiders, so I would expect to see some sort of commemorative DVD release, perhaps with deleted scenes or outtakes which have not yet been released.

Also, if there is no word of a 5th film by 2011, we might see the release of the unproduced Raiders figures in some sort of set, since I'm sure Hasbro wants to make its money back on the tooling costs, and again, if there is nothing substantial happening on Indy 5 by that time, it probably never will be.

Lance Quazar said:

Honestly, I think there is no real future to the franchise.

I don't see a 5th movie happening and, given my feelings about the last one, I don't really WANT to see a movie happen.

The ancillary product has met with lackluster sales and reception. "Tomb of the Gods", for instance. The Hasbro toy line was cancelled, ditto the Staff of Kings book.

Even during the 80s, the franchise, though wildly popular in the theaters, wasn't strong enough to drive ancillary product. And, today, generally speaking, kids don't care about Indiana Jones at all. It's not "their" franchise, it's from another era.

The success of "Crystal Skull" financially was driven mostly by nostalgia and family viewers, but it's not like it created a generation of new kids clamoring for more Indy product.

I see the future of the franchise as limited to the occasional high-end collectible from Sideshow or Gentle Giant and a video game once in a blue moon, probably if and when there are new platforms.

Maybe the occasional comic book, but even that's a little iffy.

Sorry, folks, as much as I wish it wasn't the case, I think we have to accept the fact that Indy's glory years were twenty years ago.

I think it's slightly possibly there will be a franchise reboot, but that is probably decades away.

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I don't want to agree with you, but I'm calling a spade, a spade by saying, yes, you're right.

I've loved the Indiana Jones franchise since I was little, but lately, with the screwups of the laziness of not getting the PS2 version up to par (like working properly without bugs for a start), which a lot of people would buy a PS2 version just because they can't afford a fancy pants Wii. Sure, I'm lucky that my bro has a DS I can borrow so I'll be buying the DS one thank you very much, though it will be begrudging because I would have prefered a decent PS2 with big controls and big screen. Combined with a film that my liking continues to wane for, and the cancellation of the SoK novel written by my favourite Indy author, Rob McGregor and the lack of Indy merchandise in Australia, this consumer is starting to border on "I think I'm done with this."

Now this doesn't destroy my love and enjoyment for the original three, nor the books, comics and decent games and yes, I still love YIJC, Old Indy segments and all, but I'm just becoming less satisfied with the current situation post-KOTCS. I had half-hoped that there would be a new series of books (yes, I know there's one coming in September, but having a look at the Borders catalogs down here, it doesn't seem to be getting released here) or a new series of comics, the only thing we've got are the Omnibuses coming out every so often. Perhaps my hopes were far too optimistic.

I would love a future for the franchise, but if Lucasfilm doesn't see a future for it, ergo there is no future. Sure, I signed the petition and urged friends to sign too and posted on my facebook, but a lot of them are not Indyfans and didn't sign coz they don't give a rats. In any case, I don't have faith in Lucasfilm to pay attention to a petition as much as I'd like them too.

Sadly, Lucas has become the very thing he once was against. He became a studio exec that liked the smell and feel of money. He's Darth Vader as far as I'm concerned. He has to spend some time alone and think about why he became a filmmaker in the first place. I know when I realised becoming a filmmaker was my dream when I was little, money was not the first thing that popped into my head. Most filmmakers are lucky to live off their earnings in the industry. Maybe he should also think about that. If it weren't for the fans and their happiness in parting with their wallets for the joy the films and most products bring, you wouldn't be living the dream.

The same goes for Spielberg frankly too, as the future of the franchise also rests on his shoulders though at least, he did consider bringing a new director on board for KOTCS, so I give him a point for that considering that execution of KOTCS seemed unfocused and half-hearted and more nostalgic than anything.

I must make it clear that I am NOT saying I am better than them, I'm just saying that there needs to be a bit more fairness on the consumer's side. Stop cancelling products that are wanted and stop putting out products that are not of a decent quality. That's all I'm asking for in return for loyalty to the franchise and the money we are happy to part with.

I'm sorry, guys. I had to vent.

It all began with the butchering...

...of E.T.; once Herr Spielberg decided to start erasing the guns from the FBI Agents, we should have known that he lacked the interest in putting out anything remotely "daring". Which is saying a lot for the director who managed to pull out such a nuanced interpretation of Indiana Jones in Raiders. Watch the segment between Belloq and Indy in the cafe after Indy thinks Marion has been killed. That Indy isn't the same one that limped onto the screen in Skull.

And as for Lucas, he's been milking Star Wars for thirty-one years. Indy's always been that proverbial red-headed stepchild; when push came to shove, those fans get short sheeted. I can't say what went on during the initial brainstorming sessions, but tying Indy's fate to a predominantly Judeo-Christian plotline limited the character's longevity. What about the legends/myths/stories from the rest of the world? Sub-Saharan Africa? Southeast Asia? The Lower Americas? These may have been "dealt with" by varying degrees in the novels, but not everybody reads the novels.

There's no way it takes nineteen years to come up with a MacGuffin. Spend three hours in any decent research library, and you can come up with suitable motivation. I'll give you another two to three years to come up with a decent script. On that time-line, there's at least three more pictures.

I was happy with the original three pictures, and in the minority of folk who would've liked it if Skull never saw the light of the day. I'd definitely prefer that they completely stop thinking about a fifth picture. Does anybody else remember the big ceremony George, Steven, and Harrison had at the Smithsonian Institute saying that "Indy's adventures were complete?" They put the hat and the whip in the damn museum!

For Indy to have a credible shot at a "future" there needs to be a new director, a thoroughly credible script, no Nazis, Commies, and definitely no Mutt Williams. No Daddy, either. Indy isn't a buddy picture.

I can certainly understand the frustration here, because I've felt it many times myself. I've been a huge Indy fan ever since I was a child and it's always been my favorite franchise and Indy's my favorite fictional character. I'll always be a fan but I worry about the franchise drying up if more attention and care isn't paid to it.

I seem to be in the minority here but I loved KOTCS. There was a period where it seemed that we'd never get it and I'm just thankful it was made and that we have one last Indy adventure to experience. Having all of the toys, games, and promotion for the film was a real treat and it was great to see Indy at the forefront of the pubic consciousness. The film proved that Ford was still capable of taking on the role and the general public seemed happy to have another Indy film, thus making it one of the highest earners of 2008.

However, as that film gets older it's inevitable that Indy will continue to get shafted in favor of Star Wars, which is what always happens. Granted, I enjoy the old SW films but I'm not a rabid fan and I'll gladly spend money on anything Indy-related before investing in SW. Unfortunately most people are the opposite and would much rather have more SW. We're in the minority and that constantly seems to be rubbed in our faces; for every Indy product we get, SW gets twenty, and I doubt that's ever going to change.

The fact that games and books are still being released is a good sign, although I wonder how long this will last. SoK should have been released on every console and the fact that the 360 and PS3 versions were cancelled means that a significant portion of people who would like to play the game will never get the chance. Add to that the fact that the novelization was cancelled and the HASBRO line has gone under and it's back to scrounging for Indy collectables again.

I've always been a fan and always will be. I love this series and I'd just like to see it get treated with the same respect and attention that SW and other series get; in fact, I think we all would like that. I'm grateful for whatever we get but there could be so much more and that's what's frustrating. We shouldn't have to cling to scraps just to keep our beloved series alive.

I think Indy's best bet is going 2D animation. It's cliche, but Batman TAS was really excellent, and no reason the same can't be done with Indy. It could lead to a successful toy line, video game series, and who knows what else.

Don't forget that the LEGO line is doing well, with a second video game on the way, so obviously they're doing something right over on their end.

I think the only possible Future remains still far away... a reboot for the franchise with new director and new actor in the leading role. So, no more Spielberg, no more Ford, and (hopefully) no more Lucas.

I still would like to see a better ending for the Ford era. A fitfth movie not focused on selling toys, but on doing an epic last chapter for our hero. I've got a bad taste of mouth with Kotcs.

I think a CG series similar to The Clone Wars is most likely. If they tone down the dumb humor used on Clone Wars I think it would be good.

I think the Indy story will live on if they were to get Mutt to be in all the films. Then young people would go towards Indiana Jones more. Plus they just released the Staff of Kings game which is NOT a Lego game so i think people will be willing to buy Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings game. We will have to wait and see. I have one Indy game and i plan on getting the new Staff of Kings game.

A 2d series is NOT what I want to see. I don't want to see a new director, a new Indiana Jones, and a new company making this film. If anything what they need to do is make a fifth installment. This would be a test to see how the public feels about more Indy. Start out with an official announcement only to the merchandise companies 2-3 years before the movie is released this gives companys enough time to get merchandise ready and make it GOOD. Lego would continue the line up until Indy 5 happens, hasbro could get prepared for their new line to make the figure as good as the LC and TOD waves, it would also give companies enough time for a smart advertising method. Hasbro will begin releasing the first 4 waves of basic figures (with a lot of TOD and LC)again in JAN. then the ROTLA wave 2 in Spring. then move on to a 6 figure TOD club obi wan/maharajah wave in Summer, then more LC with 6 main characters in Fall, then in DEC./JAN. relase 6 main characters from KOTCS. This will be a test to see how they handle the next wave of Indy 5 figures. In March they will release 6 main figures fromt the movie plus a deluxe figure for each orginal movie. If these sell well then they can begin releasing vehicles and playsets. With these cool figures kids and collectors alike will again be interested in the Indiana Jones franchise. This extra time will also give Lucasarts eenough time to create a video game based off Indy 5 for ALL PLATFORMS. Lego can release 4-6 MOVIE ACCURATE for release on the same day the movie is released. A new comic series (like Tomb of the gods) can be released a year before Indy 5 and the comic based on Indy 5 in the month of movies release. Kids and adult novels of new Indy adventure will continue to be released from now on to keep some interest. I think what I'm going for here is that KOTCS was announced too late which gave little time for companies to get ready so the whole thing was half-done. With more time there will be more products and better quality products also. Now if spielberg and Lucas can just sit down and make Indiana Jones 5. If Indy is weel taken hire 1 new director to direct a new tv series: Indiana Jones: the mutt williams (whoever costars in Indy 5) chronicles. With the occasional appearance of Harrison Ford the show could include great action while teaching kids a new history lesson each week in an adventurus way. Action figures/legos/video games/comics/books could still be released to follow along with the show. And if that goes well then get Spielberg and Lucas back together to do Indy 6. This would have to be the Final chapter of the Indiana Jones saga as far as movies go. I really hope all of this happens it could really do well, and if it doesn't then don't do the show and don't release merchandise and don't release a 6th installment. After all Indy 5 has to be done amazingly whilst not tying to top over the other 4 in order to get back the attention of fans and kids. If they do all of this and it doesn't work then just stop doing Indiana Jones and know that you tried. Indy 5 needs to be awesome and I need to shut up!

Guys, it's still completely possible that they can make an awesome Indy 5, just as awesome as Raiders, so Crystal Skull wasn't the greatest, that doesn't mean the next one can't be, no need to give up hope!

Kingsley said:

a reboot for the franchise with new director and new actor in the leading role. So, no more Spielberg, no more Ford, and (hopefully) no more Lucas.

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No Ford????? Are you Nuts??? Harrison is what makes Indy!! Without Harrison there is no Indy!!

I agree with others who have said that a new series isn't what we need. The franchise has always worked because it has a certain charm and feel that has become the standard. Reinventing the series would be extremely difficult and I don't think most fans and viewers would go for it.

Lance Quazar said:

Honestly, I think there is no real future to the franchise.

I don't see a 5th movie happening and, given my feelings about the last one, I don't really WANT to see a movie happen.

The ancillary product has met with lackluster sales and reception. "Tomb of the Gods", for instance. The Hasbro toy line was cancelled, ditto the Staff of Kings book.

Even during the 80s, the franchise, though wildly popular in the theaters, wasn't strong enough to drive ancillary product. And, today, generally speaking, kids don't care about Indiana Jones at all. It's not "their" franchise, it's from another era.

The success of "Crystal Skull" financially was driven mostly by nostalgia and family viewers, but it's not like it created a generation of new kids clamoring for more Indy product.

I see the future of the franchise as limited to the occasional high-end collectible from Sideshow or Gentle Giant and a video game once in a blue moon, probably if and when there are new platforms.

Maybe the occasional comic book, but even that's a little iffy.

Sorry, folks, as much as I wish it wasn't the case, I think we have to accept the fact that Indy's glory years were twenty years ago.

I think it's slightly possibly there will be a franchise reboot, but that is probably decades away.

Click to expand...

Great post! I'm with you completely, I just hope that a reboot never becomes a reality!

...of E.T.; once Herr Spielberg decided to start erasing the guns from the FBI Agents, we should have known that he lacked the interest in putting out anything remotely "daring". Which is saying a lot for the director who managed to pull out such a nuanced interpretation of Indiana Jones in Raiders. Watch the segment between Belloq and Indy in the cafe after Indy thinks Marion has been killed. That Indy isn't the same one that limped onto the screen in Skull.

And as for Lucas, he's been milking Star Wars for thirty-one years. Indy's always been that proverbial red-headed stepchild; when push came to shove, those fans get short sheeted. I can't say what went on during the initial brainstorming sessions, but tying Indy's fate to a predominantly Judeo-Christian plotline limited the character's longevity. What about the legends/myths/stories from the rest of the world? Sub-Saharan Africa? Southeast Asia? The Lower Americas? These may have been "dealt with" by varying degrees in the novels, but not everybody reads the novels.

There's no way it takes nineteen years to come up with a MacGuffin. Spend three hours in any decent research library, and you can come up with suitable motivation. I'll give you another two to three years to come up with a decent script. On that time-line, there's at least three more pictures.

I was happy with the original three pictures, and in the minority of folk who would've liked it if Skull never saw the light of the day. I'd definitely prefer that they completely stop thinking about a fifth picture. Does anybody else remember the big ceremony George, Steven, and Harrison had at the Smithsonian Institute saying that "Indy's adventures were complete?" They put the hat and the whip in the damn museum!

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Le Saboteur, great post as well! The E.T. tinkering speaks volumes about the change in Spielberg over the last 10-15 years. He can still pull off hints of his former self, ie. Munich, but that usually only occurs when he's dealing with a political or historically based film like Saving Private Ryan, where grit and violence are more justified.

I agree completely that the Indy of Skull and the Indy of the original series are completely different, and while it makes sense the character would have some changes, when would Indy ever have given a bumbling lecture about quicksand during a near death experience in the OT? The whole becoming his dad thing would've been fine in measured doses, but in my opinion they went overboard with the neutering of him in Skull.

I agree with most of you here that Indy dosen't do well in the area of tie-in merchandise. However if we learned anything about Indy movies it is this; they are very successful box office draws. Even if a movie like Temple of Doom or Kingdom of the Crystal Skull aren't as well recieved they still perform very well financially.

I feel a fifth and final Indy movie would do well. Now maybe if some people like George Lucas would look more towards filmmaking as an art and not a commercial for selling toys then we would get another great Indy film.

Le Saboteur said:

Once Herr Spielberg decided to start erasing the guns from the FBI Agents, we should have known that he lacked the interest in putting out anything remotely "daring".

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Ah, jeeze. This again? I completely agree with the IceBerg on this: having government agents (especially OUR government) portrayed as being willing to use firearms on children is just NOT OKAY. It's not a matter of political correctness like "Han Shot First" was; it's a matter of ethics and taste.

Indy at Fox, I really doubt that. Future of the franchise? Well, frankly, it has never had the mass appeal in merchandise that Star Trek or Star Wars has had. The Young Indy series didn't do very well, and the comics and books sell so-so. The toys have never really taken off. I think at least one more film can be made, and be successful. I don't think the franchise will continue beyond films involving Ford/Lucas/Spielberg. I'm fine with that.

kongisking said:

Ah, jeeze. This again? I completely agree with the IceBerg on this: having government agents (especially OUR government) portrayed as being willing to use firearms on children is just NOT OKAY. It's not a matter of political correctness like "Han Shot First" was; it's a matter of ethics and taste.

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Eh, who said they were USING them on kids...they were PROTECTING kids from an alien!

Spielberg is no longer daring and he knows it himself. Hell, he admitted it! Watch the 30 minute Spielberg conversation on the blu-ray of Close Encounters. He states that in this day he would NEVER be able to direct something like Close Encounters of the Third Kind because he has changed so much. Back in the 80s, following Close Encounters and E.T., Spielberg said he could never make a film about aliens attacking earth. Then over 20 years later comes War of the Worlds which was pretty run of the mill. IMO, since he stopped 'believing' in aliens, all of his 'alien films' have sucked. Spielberg is a vastly changed director by his own admission.

Anyway, as for the future of Indy, either pick up on doing Indy 5 really soon while Ford is still able to or do an animated series. Only problem with the animated series is that I'm not sure if kids would tune in and give it the ratings it would need to stay on television. As it's been said in this thread, Indy pulls in an audience but not like Star Wars.