Credit: LucasfilmHarrison Ford is returning as Indiana Jones for one final adventure, and while fans might be confused as to why the franchise needs one more movie, the actor always knew that one more adventure was what he needed to do.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), directed by James Mangold, will be arriving in theaters later this year, and it will tell a story fans might not have expected. Now, the Cold War will be in full swing, and some scientists are former Nazis as the Space Race is happening, leaving Indy to confront his past in a way he never expected.
Fans will see a younger Ford in the movie, thanks to groundbreaking technology that allows Ford to be back in his prime to fight Nazis again. While fans are excited for Ford’s final adventure as the iconic adventurer, many wonder why now? Why do we need a final Indiana Jones movie?
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After Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), fans were disappointed and wondered why there was any point in returning to the franchise. While the movie may not have been the best, Lucasfilm was determined, and Ford saw the script and instantly knew he was all in.
The actor doesn’t like to star as iconic characters just for a big check as Ford wasn’t a huge fan of Han Solo and was glad that the character was killed, but for Indiana Jones, things were different. Even at D23, Ford was emotional talking about the icon that had inspired thousands, if not millions, of people. Clearly, the character means a lot to Ford, and he has also ensured fans that he is the only one who will ever play the hero, even if other actors share an interest.
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In a recent interview, Ford reveals that he knew he needed to have a final adventure to complete the character, and having one that was when Indy wasn’t in his prime and near the end of his life was perfect in Ford’s mind for the story he wanted to be a part of:
“I always wanted to see a completion of the character. I wanted to see [Indiana Jones] at a later stage of his life, when he’s beyond the youthful enthusiasm and capacity, and beset by age and [stifled by academia]. I wanted to see him engage on one more unexpected, unanticipated adventure.”
"I always wanted to see a completion of the character," Harrison Ford tells Total Film. "I wanted to see [Indiana Jones] at a later stage of his life, when he’s beyond the youthful enthusiasm and capacity, and beset by age and [stifled by academia]. I wanted to see him engage on… pic.twitter.com/yALTf8pCwN
— Total Film (@totalfilm) April 24, 2023
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Indy will have some old friends join him, such as Sallah (John Rhys-Davies), and he will have his goddaughter, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), as they race against Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), who wants the same artifact that Shaw is tracking down. It should be a great final adventure that hopefully gives fans a satisfying ending to the franchise.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny releases in theaters on June 30, 2023.
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