Credit: LucasfilmThe newest Indiana Jones sequel is upon us – and it replaces Harrison Ford in one iconic throwback moment.
It’s been over 40 years since Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) premiered, but the Indiana Jones franchise is still chugging along. Well, just about. Last year saw the release of the franchise’s fifth cinematic installment, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2024), in which Harrison Ford seemingly reprised the role of the whip-wielding archaeologist for one final adventure.
Dial of Destiny—which followed Indy and his estranged goddaughter, Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), as they hunted down an artifact sought after by Nazi-turned-NASA employee Dr. Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), who wanted to go back in time to help Germany win World War II—received mixed critical responses upon its release.
While some praised its nostalgic appeal, with Harrison Ford delivering a strong performance, others felt the film struggled to capture the magic of the earlier installments in the franchise.
Critics highlighted the film’s reliance on de-aging CGI and action-heavy sequences, which at times overshadowed the character-driven storytelling. Although the film’s historical themes and character arcs were appreciated, many felt it lacked the charm and energy that defined the iconic Indiana Jones series.
Even before the film’s release, Ford made it pretty clear that he was done playing Indiana Jones – something that hardly came as a surprise, considering Ford is now 82. However, even without Indiana Jones himself, Disney has made it clear that it’s not done with the franchise just yet.
The studio has collaborated with Bethesda Softworks and MachineGames for an upcoming sequel – or, to be more precise, midquel. The upcoming video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) and, as Inside the Magic previously reported, sees Harrison Ford replaced by Troy Baker as the voice of Indiana Jones.
“He really brings forward that charm and sense of humor in such a good way,” MachineGames’ co-founder and game director Jerk Gustafsson told EW. “He’s also a very big Indiana Jones fan, which is super cool. So he’s also very invested in the game.”
Great Circle Replaces Harrison Ford in Iconic ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ Moment
Not only is Troy Baker replacing Harrison Ford for the new adventure, but it turns out he’s also replacing Ford for an iconic moment from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
As per footage shared by IGN, the game lets players relive arguably the most famous scene in all of Indiana Jones in which our hero retrieves the Golden Idol from a Peruvian temple.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle lets you relive the iconic opening from Raiders of the Lost Ark:
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle lets you relive the iconic opening from Raiders of the Lost Ark: pic.twitter.com/iuDJGtnbOy
— IGN (@IGN) December 6, 2024
The video game’s recreation of the moment very much looks like Ford’s iteration of Indy, with the studio actually using a licensed likeness of Ford himself. However, it’s pretty clear from the offset that this isn’t his voice, which does make the scene feel oddly jarring.
The Great Circle: The Verdict
Regardless, we’re still pretty hyped for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. While Dial of Destiny may have been a general disappointment for hardcore fans, The Great Circle has received solid reviews so far. As per IGN, it’s “an irresistible and immersive global treasure hunt for Indy fans who’ve felt underserved by the likes of The Dial of Destiny and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
GameRant was full of praise for Baker’s take on the character originated by Harrison Ford. “Troy Baker is, oftentimes, uncanny as Indiana Jones, doing his best to represent the tone and mannerisms of Harrison Ford,” it wrote. “There are times when the performance skirts dangerously close to imitation, but it is handled with a reverence for the character (and the actor) that ensures Indiana Jones and the Great Circle doesn’t feel like a knock-off.”
Even the more negative reviews have praised the game’s story, claiming it would’ve worked even better as a movie. “The developers at MachineGames, the studio best-known for Wolfenstein, took their mandate too seriously,” said The Verge, “making what is essentially a spiritual successor to Raiders and Temple of Doom, instead of a video game that is fun to play.”
Do you think Disney should push ahead with new Indiana Jones projects?