2
Credit: LucasfilmDisney has reportedly greenlit more Indiana Jones installments—though without the man who made the character iconic in the first place.
Over four decades ago, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg made a splash at the box office with the debut of Indiana Jones, following the adventures of Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr., an archaeologist and adventurer, as he uncovers ancient artifacts and battles adversaries.
The first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), introduced the eponymous character and became a major success, spawning four sequels: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023).
While George Lucas and Steven Spielberg were key to the success of Indiana Jones, it was Harrison Ford who brought the character to life in all five films, becoming the face of the franchise.
His portrayal of the charming yet fearless archaeologist has become iconic, with many considering the role one of Ford’s defining performances—and, based on the actor’s own comments, his favorite over Han Solo in Star Wars.
Despite the lackluster box office performance of the franchise’s latest outing, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, there are plenty of fans who’d love to see Ford take up the fedora once again.
The odds of that happening, however, are extremely slim, with Ford himself commenting that “this is the final film in the series, and this is the last time I’ll play the character” (which, considering he’s now 82, is pretty understandable).
However, that doesn’t mean the franchise is done and dusted. A video game sequel (or, to be more accurate, midquel) was released in early December with Troy Baker stepping in to provide the voice of Jones (although the character still uses Ford’s likeness).
Set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle” follows archaeologist Indiana Jones in 1937. He embarks on a quest to stop several groups seeking to harness a powerful secret linked to the Great Circle, a set of mysterious sites around the world that, when mapped, form a perfect circle.
The adventure takes players through numerous real-world locations, including Vatican City, Thailand, Egypt, and Shanghai, as Jones races against time to uncover the truth behind the enigmatic sites.
The game was met with strong reviews upon its release, with critics praising its gameplay, visuals, and underlying messages. The Guardian had particularly positive things to say on the latter, noting that it “acutely dissects far-right ideology as a whole and actively explores how aspiring autocrats build their power on the bodies of disaffected young men.”
In fact, responses have been so positive that Disney has reportedly asked the developers behind “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle,” Bethesda Softworks and MachineGames, for more installments.
As per leaker and journalist Jez Corden, “Disney picked up the phone and wants more Indiana Jones.”
The claims – made during an episode of the Xbox Two podcast – are just rumors for now, but we wouldn’t be surprised if they were true. There’s been talk of Disney looking for ways to profit from the Indiana Jones franchise without Ford for months, if not years. We all know that Disney loves a sequel (or ten), and if a video game universe allows it to do so without having to explicitly cast a new face in the place of an aging Ford, we’re sure they’ll make it happen.
There were previously rumors that the studio also planned to produce a spinoff TV show for Disney+. However, in 2023, Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider claimed in an episode of The Hot Mic Show that this had been canceled, saying, “I’m told that Ravenwood Indiana Jones series at LucasFilm is dead. And I’m told that Disney has told LucasFilm, ‘You’re only making Star Wars stuff from now on.'”
Would you like to see more installments of the Indiana Jones franchise without Harrison Ford?