Indiana Jones: Harrison Ford Is Proudest Of Making This Decision For The Character

If there ever was an actor who has made a character their own, it would be Harrison Ford — twice — with Han Solo in the "Star Wars" saga and again with the titular adventurous archeologist in the "Indiana Jones" film series.

Save for a brief cameo in 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker," Ford said goodbye to Han Solo in 2015 with the release of "Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens," and the new film "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" marks the venerable actor's swan song as Indy. Naturally, the release of the fifth and final Indy chapter with "The Dial of Destiny" has Ford reminiscing about the films in the series, which dates back over four decades to "Raiders of the Lost Ark." In addition, the end of the franchise has Ford recalling the decisions he's made about the character that helped make Indy the legend that he is today.

Asked by Jake's Takes about the decision that he's most proud of regarding the film series, Ford said it was to bring the character back for one more go-round after the release of the fourth Indy film, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," in 2008.

"The decision I'm most proud of is pressing to do this fifth film," Ford explained. "We've been away from him for 15 years. That's enough time for him to change from the character that we've known to what you have left, which is an older man. I wanted to tell the story of that older man."

To reacquaint audiences with the essence of who Indiana Jones is in "The Dial of Destiny," director James Mangold begins the film in the early 1940s, using de-aging technology and decades-old footage of Harrison Ford that fans never got to see to create a dazzling opening sequence.

In the scene, Indy and fellow archaeologist, Basil Shaw (Toby Jones), acquire one of two parts of Archimedes' Antikythera, also known as "The Dial of Destiny" — a device that legend says can open time portals to the past. The film then leaps forward to 1969, where Indy appears as a broken man suffering from a pair of huge personal losses. However, when Basil's adult daughter (and Indy's goddaughter), Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), turns up and says she's pursuing the second half of the dial, the adventurer is convinced to hit the road with her despite the danger it involves.

So, while "The Dial of Destiny" marks Indiana Jones' farewell, Ford said the film is effectively a reflection of his previous adventures that sets up his one last hurrah. "I'd like the audience to understand what the history of those four films — what the result of that is, and the result of that is 20 minutes into the film," the actor told Jake's Takes. "And then we have to pick that person up — that character up — and put him in a new adventure that he's totally unprepared for and see the result."

As a result, the film holds true to the one thing that Ford has in mind when portraying Indiana Jones, which is to see the character evolve.

"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" is playing in theaters.