Who should return? Anyone?

Indy's brother

New member
Montana Smith said:
You mean new, non-Indy films?

Critically, it makes sense to leave Indy behind with his Ford-associated baggage, and forge ahead with a completely new character.

Comparisons to Ford might fade away in a future where children first know the character as being played by 'X', and only later discover that there were four other films with some guy called Ford.

Financially it makes great sense to continue with Indy, whoever plays the role, which is how I regard the last film. You throw Ford into the outfit, bring back his first love and it's going to make money no matter what.

You throw somebody new into the outfit, and it'll still bring in a guaranteed revenue based solely on the Indy name.

When they finally get around to making a fifth film, I hope they consider the character and story first and foremost, and not just bring back 'Indy' and several other known associates to make a quick buck and sell some merchandise.

No, I mean, full-on Indy. It's no big secret that I believe that while Ford is still alive, there is another Indy story to tell with him. Why not? Why not see how his story ends, or at least how his adventures end. All I'm saying in this thread, however, is that when it comes to recurring characters that ship has sailed. To get this franchise back on the rails, what is needed is to get back to the MAIN character instead of relying on fuzzy feelings for sidekicks to help carry a film, whether Ford is in it or not. It's a weak crutch. The character of Dr. Jones is strong enough to ride on, why take the gamble on extraneous characters when it is not needed for this? That tact has run it's course.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Indy's brother said:
To get this franchise back on the rails, what is needed is to get back to the MAIN character instead of relying on fuzzy feelings for sidekicks to help carry a film, whether Ford is in it or not. It's a weak crutch. The character of Dr. Jones is strong enough to ride on, why take the gamble on extraneous characters when it is not needed for this? That tact has run it's course.

I agree with that. Think that would suit more of the older school of Indy supporters.

Bringing back familiar faces can end up as a gimmick, especially when so much time has passed and they don't greatly resemble the person (in character) they once were. I suppose the 'trend' began with Marcus and Sallah brought in as light-relief in TLC. Followed by Marion's return in a similar capacity in KOTCS.

For another thread is the question of how an older Indy will still feasibly bring the stunts and thrills so much a part of the character and the series.

We could say it would be a different kind of film (e.g., Attila's Hitchcockian Indy). Yet such a leap into the unknown could be a creative triumph, but a financial disaster.

Many viewers might say that the only character they want to return is the Indy that inspired them in the first place. Essentially we can't have that character in his entirety with Ford.

The best compromise I see is a high-quality animation voiced by Ford himself. It opens up Indy to any period of his life, and for the return of old characters, those never before committed to film, or newly created ones.
 

kongisking

Active member
Montana Smith said:
it wasn't particularly shagadelic to see his wild, reckless days being curtailed by having him promoted to a position which would make it difficult to pursue his selfish interests, not to mention the wife, family and comfy slippers that will attempt to keep him at home.

For all things to work as they should Indy himself needs to be returned to an earlier time. Unfortunately, that means pensioning off Harrison Ford. Unless a writer can be bold enough, and skilled enough, to create a credible son of Indy who is a carbon copy of his father, allowing Harrison to play the mentor.

So you're anti-character development now? :p
 

Spurlock

New member
But if Harrison is replaced, who you need to replace any other returning actors? Say a story called for Sallah, could John Rys Davis return with a new Indy, or would he need to be replaced too?
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Spurlock said:
But if Harrison is replaced, who you need to replace any other returning actors? Say a story called for Sallah, could John Rys Davis return with a new Indy, or would he need to be replaced too?

If Harrison's too old, then so is John.

So we'll have to find another singing Welshman capable of portraying an Egyptian!

Ioan Gruffudd can sing...

600full-ioan-gruffudd.jpg
 

Spurlock

New member
But John doesn't have a job as demanding as Harrison.

Another question then: Could Harrison cameo, and if he did, how big would his role be? Just an extra, or more akin to Leonard Nimoy's part in the new Star Trek movies. Yeah time travel isn't possible in IJ, but they don't need to be the exact same.
 

kongisking

Active member
Montana Smith said:
If Harrison's too old, then so is John.

So we'll have to find another singing Welshman capable of portraying an Egyptian!

Ioan Gruffudd can sing...

600full-ioan-gruffudd.jpg

I'll take your word for it that he's fantastic...;)

Spurlock said:
But John doesn't have a job as demanding as Harrison.

Another question then: Could Harrison cameo, and if he did, how big would his role be? Just an extra, or more akin to Leonard Nimoy's part in the new Star Trek movies. Yeah time travel isn't possible in IJ, but they don't need to be the exact same.

Maybe, and this is a huge maybe, they can do a similar thing that the Daniel Craig Bond films did, where they were very much a total continuity reboot, but retained Judi Dench as M.
 

Spurlock

New member
Yes, John Rys Davies could be the actor to hold the entire franchise together.

But what about Mutt then, or Shia? Could the films be set in the same era as KOTCS, with Mutt, just using a younger actor? Or does that break the laws of continuity or whatever?
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Spurlock said:
Yes, John Rys Davies could be the actor to hold the entire franchise together.

But what about Mutt then, or Shia? Could the films be set in the same era as KOTCS, with Mutt, just using a younger actor? Or does that break the laws of continuity or whatever?

I think it probably would break the laws of continuity, but to pick up the other part of your suggestion, I'll bite: why younger?
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Spurlock said:
Yes, John Rys Davies could be the actor to hold the entire franchise together.

But what about Mutt then, or Shia? Could the films be set in the same era as KOTCS, with Mutt, just using a younger actor? Or does that break the laws of continuity or whatever?

It breaks the laws of the space-time continuum. Bad things will happen!

If Harrison is replaced in favour of a younger Indy, then everyone else has to be younger as well. If there's no Harrison then you might as well go back to the classic '30s and '40s period and fill in some gaps.

If Indy 5 was in the same era as KOTCS with a younger Indy that would mean he found the fountain of youth.

Marion would look like a cradle snatcher. And Mutt would be look like somebody else's son...which wouldn't be much of a stretch.
 

Spurlock

New member
Well I just feel like Indy's relationship with Mutt has to be expanded. So what if they replaced all the actors but set it in the 50s or early 60s. Would the new actor to play Indy be young, breaking the universe, or would he have a be as old as Indy to keep things smooth.

I also feel like the Nazis had their time and the franchise shouldn't keep depending on them. I'd rather see a great villain that isn't so evil like the nazis, rather than a forced use of the Nazis in everything. Do you even need the enemy to be a specific enemy of the US? I'd like a more self made villain like in ToD. (yes this pertains to the subject because it discusses the return of nazis or not).

And Atila, younger so that he's more capable of kicking ass himself instead of allowing Mutt or someone else to do it for him. I know this would put less time between then and when Mutt was made, but all for the purpose of a more Indy adventure.
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Ah, I misunderstood you; I thought you meant a younger actor as a replacement for Shia LaBeouf, not for Ford. I'd hate to see a replacement Indy actor remain saddled with the Mutt portion of the story, honestly. A reboot would be preferable to a recast, in my mind.

I do think that an Indy V would pretty much require the presence of Marion and Mutt, but hopefully they could be dispensed with quickly. I like the idea of including Mutt on the introductory adventure, perhaps with the old Scottish fishing trip idea from the Monkey King script. Marion, ideally, would be seen even less; I'd suggest she appear when Indy returns to campus, but it would be nice to abandon that tradition as well. Perhaps just a scene of her and Mutt worrying about Indy having gone missing while on a dig, and attempting to get the Feds on it, introducing them as a secondary opposition force, along the lines of the Brotherhood.
 

Spurlock

New member
But how about a younger Indy with Shia?

I agree though, rather take him back into the era of the Nazis, hell, maybe even before WWII. Why not continue where the Chronicles left off? As I said that, I realized that that would be the 2nd time Lucas has done prequels. ignoring ToD or course.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Spurlock said:
But how about a younger Indy with Shia?

"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious sh!t." ;)

Spurlock said:
I agree though, rather take him back into the era of the Nazis, hell, maybe even before WWII. Why not continue where the Chronicles left off? As I said that, I realized that that would be the 2nd time Lucas has done prequels. ignoring ToD or course.

Before WWII there's more than just 'Nazis'.

Just go to Shanghai and there's a myriad of options: International Settlements; Du Yuesheng's Triad Green Gang (which could mean bringing back Lao Che and the TOD back story); Japanese invasions; Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists; Mao's Communists; heavily armed pirates off-shore.

Indy's adventures in China could fill an entire series leading up to Short Round picking his pocket and the Club Obi-Wan diamond/urn trade.
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
Montana Smith said:
Before WWII there's more than just 'Nazis'.

Just go to Shanghai and there's a myriad of options: International Settlements; Du Yuesheng's Triad Green Gang (which could mean bringing back Lao Che and the TOD back story); Japanese invasions; Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists; Mao's Communists; heavily armed pirates off-shore.

Indy's adventures in China could fill an entire series leading up to Short Round picking his pocket and the Club Obi-Wan diamond/urn trade.

That's right. Plenty of enemies to pit against IJ. Probably plenty of treasures and artefacts in there too. Who could we appeal to? Doesn't Disney see what we see? :confused:
 

Spurlock

New member
Yeah, that's what I am saying, you don't need Nazis to have a good Indiana Jones (at least I hope not). Although I feel like several films set in China would take away from his globetrotting reputation.

Another question, if they made another film with Ford, going to china, would you want to see more Short Round?
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
With apologies to Mr. Watterson: Nobody should return. Repetition is the death of magic.

I've said this elsewhere, but the reliance on a very, very small cast of supporting characters has hobbled the series almost as much as the need for easily explainable Judeo-Christian artifacts.

Spurlock said:
Although I feel like several films set in China would take away from his globetrotting reputation.

Globetrotting? Do stop in at this thread for a brief discussion on the globetrotting expectations of Indiana Jones.

Mickiana said:
Who could we appeal to? Doesn't Disney see what we see?

Do you hear that? It's the sound of every Chinese cash register slamming shut. Disney isn't going to hamstring themselves with the burgeoning Chinese audience. Especially with Shanghai Disneyland mere months from opening.
 

Spurlock

New member
Well I meant more if you had more than one movie based in China. One film in China is fine, China is so massive and varied that it deserves a movie all to itself. But two... not so much.

And I think the chinese would love an Indiana Jones film featuring their country as more than a pit stop. Tons of movies are already attempting to incorporate chinese culture into their movies in an attempt to pull in bigger box office numbers. The only difference is that for those movies, like Iron Man 3 or Transformers 4, it isn't natural, whereas Indiana going to China is perfectly reasonable. Given they depict the chinese people in a good light, not like they did to Indians apparently, it could be a huge success over there.
 
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