An Indiana Jones Disney+ Series May Soon Be In Development
Harrison Ford may be done with playing Indiana Jones after the upcoming fifth installment of the franchise, but that doesn't mean the world is doomed to fade into memory, per Entertainment Weekly. The franchise has managed to survive without Harrison Ford in the past. George Lucas introduced the world to "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" from 1992 to 1996, with Sean Patrick Flanery, Corey Carrier, and George Hall each stepping into the role to show the archeologist/adventurer at ages that would have been impossible for Ford to play at the time. Ford did, however, appear in one episode of the series.
Even with other actors picking up some of the weight, Ford is still as tied to Jones as Bruce Willis is to John McLane or Arnold Schwarzenegger to the Terminator. Still, Disney is not a company to let a completely good IP go to waste, so there are big questions about the franchise's future after the fifth "Indiana Jones" feature adventure hits theaters on June 30, 2023.
A new report suggests Disney is hard at work figuring out how to expand the universe of the franchise, possibly into a television series. The move would make sense, especially considering the success Disney has had moving the "Star Wars" franchise onto the small screen with "The Mandalorian," "Obi-Wan Kenobi," and more.
Indiana Jones could becomes a series without Harrison Ford
While fans await the release of the fifth "Indiana Jones" film, Disney is actively seeking a path forward for the franchise in the form of a Disney+ TV series, according to Variety.
George Lucas previously moved the franchise to TV screens with "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," but that show only lasted a few years. While it launched the career of stars like Sean Patrick Flanery, it still didn't manage to become the long-running series that a franchise IP like "Indiana Jones" would suggest was possible.
According to the Variety report, however, Disney is willing to make another go of it. It's likely Ford would not be involved, especially considering his comments about being done with the character in the near future, and no plot details are available at the moment. The company has reportedly been taking general meetings with writers recently, likely opening themselves up to whatever pitches fans and filmmakers have. While another "Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"-style show could be possible, there are plenty of more possibilities.
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" introduced Shia LaBeouf as the son of Jones, so it's possible that could be a route to take, although LaBeouf's recent controversies could prevent him from being involved in such a mainstream franchise, via IndieWire. Recasting Jones would seem an impossible feat, but the possibility was floated before with some considering Chris Pratt a suitable replacement. Pratt, however, would actually end up shooting down the possibility, per EW.