Forty years later and there’s really only one guy who can pull off a fedora. That man (read: Harrison Ford) is now 80 years old, however, meaning that he’s a bit limited when it comes to doing his own stunts. New technologies have been able to digitally de-age older actors, like Robert De Niro in The Irishman and Sigourney Weaver in Avatar: The Way of the Water. but their stilted movements can be glaringly obvious. (Unless, of course, you replace their entire bodies with Na’vi!) And yet, the upcoming fifth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise plans to de-age Harrison Ford so that he can fight a castle full of Nazis. “It’s not the years, it’s the mileage,” Ford stated back in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
According to Empire, old footage of Ford as Indy is used to make the scene more believable, as well as the original jacket and wardrobe from Raiders in 1981. “This is the first time I’ve seen [the technology] where I believe it,” the actor revealed. “It’s a little spooky. I don’t think I even want to know how it works, but it works.” Producer Kathleen Kennedy added that she hopes viewers walk away thinking that they utilized newfound footage from the 80s. Audiences have yet to see any images of the de-aged Ford, but news of its use in Indiana Jones 5 seems to confirm that Hollywood is committed to the technology despite backlash from fans. Still, there’s a bit more to being over 40 years younger than your wrinkle count.
It’s why Harrison Ford announced at an emotional D23 Expo presentation earlier this year that Indiana Jones 5 will be his last run as the titular character. “I’m very proud to say that this one is fantastic,” he told an energetic crowd, marking a full 14 years since we’ve last seen him reprise the role. Though we won’t see Indiana Jones 5 until June 23, 2023, there’s still a ton of information out there about what the film has in store, including a next-level cast, some interesting shooting locations, the man in khaki himself, and even a plot point that might involve the 1969 moon landing.
Ford will be joined by Mads Mikkelsen, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Boyd Holbrook, Shaunette Renée Wilson, and Thomas Kretschmann, John Rhys-Davies, as well as the newly announced Antonio Banderas. The Indiana Jones franchise finale will also be produced under the Disney umbrella, following its acquisition of LucasFilm. What does that mean for the production? Not as much as you’d think, but there is one major change. Logan and Ford v Ferrari director James Mangold will be taking over directing duties from Steven Spielberg.
This marks the first time since the franchise’s 1981 debut that someone other than Spielberg will be directing. However, he is still firmly attached to the project in a producing role. “I don’t know if I’ll make you happy,” Mangold previously wrote on Twitter, but my team and I will knock ourselves out trying to make something good… Maybe, just maybe, I won’t let you down.” In case that makes you a bit nervous, the Indiana Jones music buffs will be happy to hear that John Williams, the composer who has been behind the series since day one, will return. “Indiana Jones movies are about mystery and adventure, but they’re also about heart,” Ford said at the trailer presentation. “We have a really human story to tell, as well as a movie that will kick your ass.”
Currently, no one has revealed the plot of the upcoming film, though photos from the set reveal that filming is taking place, at least in part, at a castle in England. Photogs also captured a replica SS motorbike on set, which looks pretty badass if we say so ourselves. Even more, it looks like the new Indy flick might feature a plot point about the moon landing. A batch of set photos released in early July showed a sign that says, “Welcome Home Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins,” which hints that a scene in the film could take place during the welcome parade for the Apollo 11 astronauts in New York City. “I had the time of my life making this movie,” Phoebe Waller-Bridge told the roaring D23 audience. “I feel so incredibly lucky and keeping up with this guy is exhausting. These films mean a lot to me as well and Jim [Mangold] you have protected and brought back everything people want and need from these films. I cannot wait for you to see it!”
Harrison Ford also briefly reunited with Everything Everywhere All at Once actor Ke Huy Quan, who played his 11-year-old Chinese sidekick, Short Round, over 38 years ago in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Quan had also recently joined the Disney family (where Harrison Ford’s role as Han Solo in Star Wars is always a D23 crowd pleaser), by announcing that he was cast in Season Two of Marvel’s Loki. The usually grumpy Harrison Ford was all smiles, however, as he declared Indiana Jones 5 as his final outing in the franchise. “I’m delighted to be here again, maybe for the… no, not maybe. This is it,” he said. “I will not fall down for you again!”
The official first look trailer has yet to make its way online after premiering exclusively for the D23 Expo, but recent set photos teased that Indy will be heading face-to-face with Nazis once again (and maybe even Roman gladiators?). Mads Mikkelsen will reportedly star as one of the film’s Nazi villains, and the trailer showcased an exciting scene in which Ford rides a horse through the New York subway. Though Indiana Jones 5 won’t hit theaters until next summer, the whip-cracking sensation was one of the major highlights of the Disney weekend.
Writer
Justin Kirkland is a Brooklyn-based writer who covers culture, food, and the South. Along with Esquire, his work has appeared in NYLON, Vulture, and USA Today.
Josh Rosenberg is an entertainment writer living in Brooklyn, keeping a steady diet of one movie a day; his work can be found at Spin, Insider, Vibe, and on his personal blog at Roseandblog.com.
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