Only Harrison Ford can play protagonist Dr. Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones Jr., this according to the actor himself, who has brought the role to life four times on the big screen. During a visit to NBC’s Today, Ford was asked who he would choose as his replacement to play the legendary archeologist once he is unable to do so.
“Nobody is going to be Indiana Jones, don’t you get it? I’m Indiana Jones,” the 70-year-old said while laughing. “When I’m gone, he’s gone. It’s easy.”
In the past, speculation has pointed at Chris Pratt as someone who could lead the franchise in a potential reboot. But Ford doesn’t agree; he is adamant that the role he first brought to life in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark should die with him.
While joking about how Pratt will take the news he’s just announced about the fate of Indiana Jones, he mixed up his Chrises — as is easy to do when there are plenty to choose from in Hollywood today.
“This is a hell of a way to tell Chris Pine this,” he told Today‘s Craig Melvin. “I’m sorry, man.”
The Academy Award-nominated actor has always been very protective of the George Lucas-created character’s legacy. When Shia LaBeouf was introduced in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, he was rumored to be taking over the franchise and Ford also rejected that idea.
“What are you talking about? It’s mine,” Ford told Time in 2010 when asked if he was passing on his famous fedora to LaBeouf. “I would love to do another Indiana Jones movie. George Lucas is working on an idea now. Shia can get his own hat. I earned that hat.”
Indiana Jones 5 will re-team Ford with Steven Spielberg, who helmed all four action films for the big screen. It’s set to hit theaters on July 9, 2021.
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