Harrison Ford Actually Returning For Indiana Jones 6?
Harrison Ford confirms there will be no Indiana Jones 6.
Harrison Ford had a recent interview with Total Film that will squash any dreams you may have about the Indiana Jones franchise continuing in the form of another feature film. In the interview, Ford asserted that he’s hanging up his iconic fedora for good, and that there will not be an Indiana Jones 6. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has suggested that although Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will be Ford’s last entry as the bullwhip bearing bravado, the franchise may live on in the form of a television series some time down the road.
It comes with great disappointment that Harrison Ford has no desire to reprise his role for an Indiana Jones 6 film, but if he’s at peace with his decision to end his legacy with Dial of Destiny, then we should support his decision to shift his focus to other projects. Ford did not parse his words:
“This is the final film in the series, and this is the last time I’ll play the character. I anticipate that it will be the last time that he appears in a film.”
-Harrison Ford to Total Film
We’ve got to give it to Kennedy for siding with Harrison Ford on this one. Kennedy acknowledges that Ford is synonymous with Indiana Jones, a character that he has portrayed in five feature films over the last 40 years, and recognizes that an Indiana Jones 6 just wouldn’t be the same if Ford were to be replaced with a different actor. But the possibility of an Indiana Jones series will allow Lucasfilm to explore new territory that won’t necessarily need Ford to reprise the iconic role for a television treatment.
With spinoff series being ever so popular these days, Lucasfilm could lean into other strong characters from the Indiana Jones franchise in a way that will allow Harrison Ford to be true to his word. If earlier reports about the series still hold true, we might get a look at a prequel that will not move forward like an Indiana Jones 6 film would, but rather chronicle the adventures of Abner Ravenwood. Ravenwood was referenced in Raiders of the Lost Ark as Indiana Jones’ mentor, but he’s never actually had an on-screen presence, so there is a lot of fertile ground for a prequel spinoff.
Now that we’ve laid any rumors of a possible Indiana Jones 6 film to rest, and confirmed that Harrison Ford will not reprise the role, the question is when the Indiana Jones series will get the green light. The possibility of an Indiana Jones series on Disney+ was originally announced in November 2022, but recent reports indicate that Lucasfilm will be leaning more heavily into their Star Wars properties for the time being. With the WGA strike in full swing, it’s safe to say that we’re going to have to wait some time for further developments.
In the meantime, you can see Harrison Ford on the big screen as Indiana Jones one last time when Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny makes its US premiere on June 30. Though we’re never going to see an Indiana Jones 6, we can still hold out hope that the Indiana Jones franchise will continue to uncover the mysteries of the world, one ancient artifact at a time.
