Is A Post-Harrison Ford Indiana Jones Possible?

By Brandon T. McClure

With Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in theaters, the journey of Indiana Jones has come to an end. This is not just an emotional conclusion for Indiana Jones but also for Harrison Ford. The 80-year-old actor is ready to hang up the hat and whip for good and he’s been very clear about that in every interview for this film. But, like every new entry in a long-running franchise, most people are asking one question: What’s next?

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

The journey to make this fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise began shortly after the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Steven Spielberg had been feeling burnt out on Indiana Jones after Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and only returned to direct the third installment to fulfill the trilogy. But, originally Paramount and George Lucas intended there to be five films in the franchise. After trying for years to return to the world of Indiana Jones, Lucas finally convinced Spielberg to return for a fourth installment. There was interest to return for the fifth film, but Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford couldn’t agree on what that story would be. When Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney, the new president of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, wanted to get that fifth film off the ground. When it became clear that Steven Spielberg’s heart wasn’t in returning to the iconic world he began, the decision was made to continue with a new director. James Mangold, director of films like Logan and Ford v. Ferrari was chosen to bring Indiana Jone’s journey to an emotional end.

Even though this is marketed as the end of the journey that began in 1981, many fans are wondering if there could be more stories left to tell. These days it's old hat to envision a large shared franchise of interconnected multi-media properties and it can be nice to have a definitive ending and not something that goes on forever. Indiana Jones isn’t Star Wars and it doesn’t need to be. There are plenty of books and video games to keep Indiana Jones fans satiated. There’s also an argument to be made that Indiana Jones is a character that can’t be recast.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was the last adventure with Indiana Jones in his prime because the next time audiences saw this character, he was in his 60s (Actually Indy was only 58 while Ford was 66). Because of this, many hardcore Indiana Jones fans may feel like there are no more stories coming with Indiana in his prime. Unless you were to recast the role like James Bond. Indiana Jones may have started life as a James Bond inspiration, but the character doesn’t share the one thing that has made Bond such a lasting icon: his recasting. At this point in the franchise, recasting Indiana Jones would be difficult if not downright impossible

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

A few months ago, rumors began circulating that Lucasfilm was interested in developing a Disney+ original series set in the world of Indiana Jones. The proposed series was going to be a prequel about Indiana’s mentor, Abner Ravenwood. Abner is a character that every fan is familiar with but has never been seen onscreen due to his death prior to the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark. However, it now appears that Lucasfilm is restructuring to focus solely on Star Wars properties. Once again, rumors suggest that this series is no longer moving forward and with the cancellation of Willow, it appears that there’s no interest from Disney to allow Lucasfilm to develop anything outside of their biggest money maker once Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is released.

This rumored Abner Ravenwood series wasn’t even the first time Lucasfilm seemed interested in developing a spin-off without Indiana Jones. Before Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, rumors were rampant about future plans for Shia Labeouf’s Mutt Williams’ character. It’s entirely possible, had that character, and movie, been better received (Although it was one of the highest-grossing films of 2008 and currently holds a respectable 77% on Rotten Tomatoes) there would have been a spin-off adventure with the character. Mutt Williams was introduced in the fourth film as the son of Indiana and Marion Ravenwood, which seemed like the perfect character to take over the hat and whip. After the film, Lebeouf said “I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished” which ended up ruining his relationship with Spielberg. While no official plans seemed to be in the works for an “Adventure of Mutt Williams” film, this seemed to squash the idea altogether.

Fans have wanted one specific Indiana Jones spin-off for decades, however. One that would center on Indiana’s one-time side-kick in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Short Round. Played by now Oscar-winning actor Ke Huy Quan, the character has been a beloved member of the franchise for years now. While the film wasn’t as well received at the time, it’s been reevaluated and admired as a misunderstood classic. Quan’s turn in Everything Everywhere All At Once has brought the actor back in a big way. He’s even a starring role in the Disney+ series American Born Chinese. Quan, himself has said he’s love to return exclaiming “Are you kidding me? I love Short Round… it would be amazing to revisit that character.” While many, rightly, feel that Quan should focus on new projects, rather than returning to a franchise he was a part of when he was 10, the actor is obviously keen to reprise the role.

The Indiana Jones franchise doesn’t need to be a franchise that spans 30 interconnected films with an Avengers-style team-up at the end to defeat Hitler. But if John Wick can get a spin-off called Ballerina, there’s room for one spin-off in the Indiana Jones franchise. That’s all fans have ever wanted, just one spin-off. One movie or show to play in the world without relying on Harrison Ford. Especially now that Ke Huy Quan is on top, Disney may want to strike while the iron is hot and greenlight a Short Round series.

There are many comics, books and video games that star Indiana Jones, including one coming before the end of the decade (we hope), so there are plenty of stories for fans to explore if they want more. It’s not necessary for the franchise to continue now that Harrison Ford is hanging up the fedora, but it could be fun to explore new places and perspectives of the world that fans love. It doesn’t need to be a Star Wars-like juggernaut mult-media franchise or a massive shared universe like the MCU. All fans have ever wanted was one more adventure. What’s so wrong about that?

COUNT DOWN #27: Iron Man’s PTSD

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• Iron Man’s PTSD •

MOMENT# 27

MOVIE: Iron Man 3

DIRECTORS: Shane Black

WRITERS: Drew Pearce & Shane Black

Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) in Iron Man 3.

Marvel is often considered a comic book company with more relatable superheroes. Readers point to Spider-Man’s struggles or Iron Man’s alcoholism as examples of this. The heroes of the Marvel universe would often go through similar personal struggles that the readers would. This allows readers to relate to the characters in a way that they felt they couldn’t with characters like Superman or Green Lantern. Translating this to the MCU was instrumental in the long-running success of the franchise. In the third Iron Man film, Tony Stark is reeling from the events of The Avengers and can’t find a way to move past his near-death experience. In short, he had PTSD.

Iron Man 3 is a curious anomaly in the MCU. While Marvel had already been sold to Disney by the time of The Avengers, Iron Man 3 was still produced by Paramount Pictures. Shane Black stepped in to direct this film when Jon Favreau declined to return. It was the first of the solo franchises to finish their trilogy, which left the future of Iron Man in question until Avengers: Age of Ultron. The hype coming off of The Avengers also propelled this film to $1 billion. Finally, while it’s seen somewhat of a reevaluation over the years, it’s still not remembered all that fondly by the larger fandom. All this is to say that the history surrounding Iron Man 3 is kind of weird. Seriously, it’s the only film in the Infinity Saga that had a separate cut screened for Chinese audiences (But that’s a whole other thing).

In Iron Man 3, Tony is having trouble moving on from the Battle of New York. During the battle, Tony took a nuclear bomb through the portal and nearly didn’t make it back. Now that things have gone back to normal, he’s having trouble going back to his life. “You experience things and then they’re over and you still can’t explain them,” he says to Pepper after she confronts him. While this is happening, a series of bombings are taking place around the United States that are being linked to a terrorist known as The Mandarin. Tony takes it upon himself to uncover The Mandarin’s true plans but he’s having a difficult time due to his undiagnosed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in Iron Man 3.

PTSD is largely considered to be a disorder that only develops in soldiers that have seen combat. But it’s far more common than that. PTSD can develop in any person who’s been exposed to a traumatic event. Sexual assault, car crashes, domestic violence, or emotional abuse can all result in PTSD or its symptoms. It stands to reason then that any man who suffers a near-death experience would develop this disorder. Tony experiences all the hallmark symptoms and doesn’t know how to handle them. During one severe anxiety attack, he denies it happened and runs away. He can’t sleep because his nightmares are plagued with the memories of the battle and the move that almost cost him his life. Of course, this is also a science fiction superhero movie, so the movie uses Tony’s suits as an allegory. He’s trying to make sure that he’s prepared for next time, rather than dealing with the issue he’s dealing with now.

These days, mental disorders like PTSD are taken more seriously than they used to be and this is actually where Iron Man 3 fails. Pepper and Rhodey don’t take Tony’s illness seriously. Pepper’s reactions are pretty common for partners of people who suffer from PTSD in fairness. She loves Tony but can’t understand why he’s changed. Rhodey’s reactions are a bit more questionable since he’ll sometimes make a joke at Starks expense. It’s only strange because Rhodey is a soldier, but this was indicative of the time. Things have gotten better over the years, but these misgivings don’t negate the importance of Iron Man 3 showing Tony with PTSD. Art has a profound effect on the world and can lead to a path of normalization for things that aren’t considered “normal” (for lack of a better word). Iron Man 3 proudly made it known that the battle didn’t end for Stark when the Avengers went for Shawarama, it continued into his everyday life.

Tony Start/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) in Iron Man 3.

Throughout the movie, Tony learns to open up about his problems which aren’t easy. Luckily the trials that Tony is put through in the movie, send him on a clear path of healing and he’s able to learn to cope and live with the disorder (although it does lead to him making Ultron…). By destroying all his new Iron Man suits, Tony symbolically learns that he doesn’t need them anymore and that there is a clearer and safer path to healing. Something that every person who suffers from PTSD would like to learn. Through this hero, PTSD victims see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Iron Man 3 is a far more important entry in the Infinity Saga than people are willing to give it credit for. Truthfully it’s time for the narrative around Iron Man 3 to change. It’s a well-shot, well-written film, with great action set pieces, and a story about a hero struggling with a disorder that millions struggle with. Marvel likes to say it’s home to the relatable hero, and Iron Man 3 delivered one of the most relatable stories that had ever been seen in a superhero film at that point. Because of this, Iron Man’s PTSD remains an important moment in the Infinity Saga.

Star Trek Needs Star Trek: Legacy

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

It’s a crazy time to be a Star Trek fan right now. Five shows have been released since 2017’s Star Trek: Discovery with a sixth one on the way. Currently Star Trek: Picard is airing its third and final season which sees the return of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. This season has been better received than the previous two seasons and that’s got the fans begging for more. Turns out the showrunner for this season of Star Trek: Picard has plans to continue the story, should Paramount be interested, through a show called Star Trek: Legacy.

When Star Trek: Picard first aired on CBS All Access (Which became Paramount+) in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the series saw an older retired Jean-Luc Picard now living in his family's vineyard, content with making wine for the rest of his life. But a young being, who claimed to be Data’s daughter, sought him out and set him off on a new journey that took him to new worlds with a new crew. This season was ran by Michael Chabon, who would leave during the production of season 2 due to a massive contract he signed to develop more in the world of Star Trek. This, however, has yet to come of anything. Terry Matalas took over the show and season 2 was released in 2022. That season saw Q return to help Picard come to terms with the death of his mother. As ambitious as those two seasons were, they were generally not loved by the fandom at large. But season 3 had a lot of promise.

After being contacted by Beverly Crusher, Picard reconnects with Captain William Riker to help him find her. While this is going on, Raffi, a character introduced in the first season, is uncovering a plot to destroy the Federation. This is all connected and sets the stage for a story that would be filled with nostalgic callbacks, returning cast, and exciting new characters. Terry Matalas and his crew of writers, production designers, directors, and more, crafted a season that harkened back to the 90s era of Trek, which is commonly referred to as the golden age. Star Trek: Picard season 3 is capable of standing on its own without the support of the first two seasons and operates as a legacy sequel to not just Star Trek: The Next Generation, but Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. 

William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in Star Trek: Picard

With any legacy sequel, there need to be characters to pick up the mantle from the older generation. That’s where Star Trek: Picard truly shines. While some characters already had kids, like Worf’s long-forgotten son Alexander, or Riker and Troi’s daughter Kestra, this season introduces Jack Crusher as the son of Picard and Beverly. What’s more, this season also introduces Geordi’s children in the form of Alandra and Sydney LaForge. The frustrating thing about these characters is that fans like them. They like them a lot and there are not that many episodes left with them (1 at the time of this writing). It’s a good problem to have, certainly, but many fans are wondering if these characters will ever be seen again.

Lt. Commander La Forge (LeVar Burton) and Alandra La Forge (Mica Burton) in Star Trek: Picard

This is where Star Trek: Legacy comes in. Terry Matalas’ proposed spin-off of Star Trek: Picard would pick up after the events of the series and seemingly feature these characters that fans have fallen in love with. Matalas is talking to everyone about this show (except for me) in the hopes of gaining interest in it. When speaking with TrekMovie.com he spoke about how he feels the 25th century, the year that Star Trek: Picard is set, is the present day of the Star Trek universe, and that he would love to explore what the century looks like around the galaxy. “Boy, wouldn’t you want to check in with the Klingon Empire? Wouldn’t you want to check in with Deep Space Nine and The Doctor [from Voyager] and everything that went on with the Berman-verse?” He adds that he would like to “explore the galaxy and sort of get back to the Next Gen roots of storytelling” and that that is the “kind of version of Star Trek I’d like to see, with this group of characters that we’re seeing”.

Strangely enough, this is not new territory for fans. When Star Trek: Discovery aired its second season, it introduced Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, the second captain of the USS Enterprise. Captain Pike took command of the USS Discovery for a mission to search for Spock, whose disappearance was related to a mission that threatened the galaxy. Anson Mount’s Captain Pike and the other two returning characters Spock and Number One were so well received that fans began demanding a series focused on them. Eventually, Paramount+ gave in to fan demand and greenlit Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in May of 2020. When it was released in 2022, it was an instant hit with new and old fans alike. Now, Trek fans are being called on once again to campaign for Star Trek: Legacy. 

Paramount+ has already announced a new show in the form of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, but that’ll most likely be set in the future of Star Trek: Discovery, which leaves a gap of time not being explored by the franchise. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is set in the mid-23rd century, just before Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: Lower Decks and Prodigy are set in the early 2380s, which technically makes every Star Trek show on the air a prequel series. There’s still plenty of room for a series set in the early 25th century, the “present” of the Star Trek timeline as Terry Matalas said. The show could continue to explore strange new worlds and pick up characters that fans haven’t seen in ages. Characters from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine like Ezrie Dax, Bashir, or even Miles O’Brien (who let's face it, should have been in this season of Star Trek: Picard). There is plenty of room for a show that deals with nostalgia while also paving the way for the “next generation”.

There is a legitimate fear with Star Trek: Legacy that is worth bringing up. Star Trek has never been a nostalgia machine. It’s always been a franchise that’s more concerned with moving forward than backward. In fairness, this changed with the 2009 film Star Trek, and the current era has been struggling with that ever since. Both the first seasons of Star Trek: Discovery and Picard were less concerned with nostalgia than doing something new and the fans were not receptive to that. Sure, it probably had more to do with creative choices, but studios often take the wrong lessons from these things. Star Trek: Lower Decks is a show built upon reference jokes to past Trek and was very well received when it launched. So Star Trek: Legacy could be more interested in looking backward than forwards. Ideally, that wouldn’t be the case. The show would hopefully not center around nostalgia and only sprinkle it in when the story called for it. For the most part, that is how season 3 of Star Trek: Picard has been structured so there’s no reason to think that Star Trek: Legacy would be any different.

Following a story about the kids of the crew of Enterprise D is incredibly appealing because they’re good characters that fans have enjoyed. Perhaps Kestra Troi-Riker joins the USS Titan with Sydney LaForge at the helm and her sister Alandra in Engineering. Captain Seven of Nine and her first officer/girlfriend Commander Raffi Musiker at the conn. The cast is already there and waiting to explore the final frontier of the 25th century. Hell, maybe they’ll finally remember Alexander. One thing is for sure, if this is the last time we see these new characters, it’ll be a shame.

COUNT DOWN #28: The Hellicarrier

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• The Hellicarrier •

MOMENT# 28

MOVIE: The Avengers

DIRECTORS: Joss Whedon

WRITERS: Joss Whedon & Zak Penn

Bruce Banner / Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Steve Rogers / Captain America (Chris Evans) in The Avengers.

Most fans would argue that the MCU’s early success came from them taking the source material seriously where other comic book films hadn’t. Something that’s overlooked in that argument is the way early MCU writers and directors were able to interpret and reinvent the source material and make them more digestible to the mainstream audience. Captain America didn’t wear red, white, and blue spandex, instead wore a red, white, and blue military uniform. Thor wasn’t a god, he was an alien. There are many examples of this that led comic book fans to believe that the more outlandish elements would never be adapted. But then a giant aircraft carrier lifted out of the ocean and into the sky.

The Avengers came out in 2012 and was the final film of what became known as “Phase One”. It saw the heroes of the previous movies unite to save the world from the evil Loki and his army of Chitauri warriors. The movie also shines more light on the mysterious organization that had been introduced in the background of the previous films called S.H.I.E.L.D. While Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury had appeared in every phase one movie with the exception of The Incredible Hulk, much about the organization he ran was still a mystery. Comic book fans were left wondering if the flying base that S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury called home would ever make an appearance in the new franchise. Luckily they didn’t have to wait long.

The Helicarrier is a flying aircraft carrier originally created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the pages of Strange Tales #135, all the way back in 1965. It’s often depicted as the signature ship for S.H.I.E.L.D. and is one of the most iconic vehicles in Marvel Comics. Because of its iconic status, fans had hoped that Marvel Studios would find a way to incorporate it down the line. While it certainly seemed a little unreasonable to expect it in the first Avengers movie, perhaps it was possible the flying ship could show up in the second or third. Luckily Kevin Feige and co. were just as eager to incorporate it as fans were.

In order to deal with the threat of Loki, Fury assembles the mightiest heroes of Earth on an aircraft career in the middle of the ocean. Just after Captain America and Bruce Banner meet on the carrier, Natasha tells them to head inside because it’ll get hard to breathe. Certainly, a weird thing to say about an aircraft carrier. Steve wonders if they’re in some fancy new submarine, but the truth was much cooler (or “worse” as Banner puts it). As the water around the ship begins to swirl, four large turbine engines rise out of the water. With these engines in place, the aircraft carrier rises out of the ocean and into the air, revealing the Helicariar to millions of people watching The Avengers.

The Hellicarrier in The Avengers.

It’s hard to understate how big of a deal this moment was in 2012. The Dark Knight trilogy and X-Men films were some of the biggest names in comics, but both seemed to be ashamed of their source material. Audiences were conditioned to believe that the source material was “silly” and that the medium of film could legitimize it by stripping away the more fantastical elements. Compared to the things that Marvel Studios is doing now, the Hellicarier is small potatoes, but in 2012 it rewrote the brain chemistry of every comic fan watching. These things weren’t “silly” anymore. A Hellicarier was featured in a movie that made over $1 billion.

The Hellicarier was the first in a long line of promises that Marvel Studios would make to their fans. By including the Hellicarier in The Avengers, the creatives behind Marvel were telling the audience that nothing was off limits anymore. Comic books weren’t something to be ashamed of when making the adaptations, they were something to be taken seriously. Sure, the Hellicarier isn’t the reason why The Avengers passed the billion-dollar mark, but fans could rest easy knowing that the comics they loved were respected.