Friday
Apr062018
Cast This: The Next Indiana Jones
Friday, April 6, 2018 at 1:01PM
We’d have to change the name from Jones to Joan. And there would be nothing wrong with that. - Steven Spielberg.
We already knew the next Indiana Jones would not be Shia Labeouf, Crystal Skull notwithstanding. Now Steven Spielberg has indicated it might be a woman. Harrison Ford will be back, one last time, for the 5th film in the hugely popular series. But after that we might get Joan Jones? Indiana Joan? Spielberg also seems not to know the difference between first and last names.
The 5th Indiana Jones, as yet untitled, has been announced as Spielberg’s next directorial project. It will be shooting in the UK next year. Which means we have a lot of time to fantasy cast the female Indiana. Who would be your choice?
Reader Comments (36)
Because the name Indiana is masculine?
Danai Gurira
Alicia Vikander just made a pretty good audition reel called Tomb Raider. She's a little more Tom Cruise than Harrison Ford in that, but still.
Margot Robbie has the confidence and charisma but might be too beautiful.
My choice would be no one. We need to create new superheroes, and there’s zilch reason STEVEN SPIELBERG, of all people, needs to repurpose a brand. He could get virtually any film greenlit. Create something original!!!
Tessa Thompson would be an interesting choice. She's got charisma to burn and is currently in a career sweet spot where she's a big enough name to carry a franchise but not so big that she's been pigeonholed yet.
Ditto Alden Ehrenreich, who's already stepping up to fill Ford's shoes in the Star Wars franchise.
New, female, Indiana Jones? Lets assume 35-45, give or take a year, with a particular focus on 40-45, since Ford was an older-looking 38 when the first film was shot and it'll be easier for older fans to buy in if there's none of the air of "snot-nosed brat" on her.
Sawyer: Danai Gurira? Hmm. I think they MIGHT be looking at a daughter angle (and Gurira is too dark skinned to fit that angle), but "unrelated colleague with the same last name" is an EXCELLENT pitch that isn't repeating themselves. "Jones" is a common enough name for that angle to work and she's within what I'd call the right age range.
Roark: Older (29) than LaBeouf (21) was at the time, but...nah. Not quite yet.
Chinoiserie: 27, so...not yet. Though...well...Gina Diggers? That'd probably work, if Hollywood even knew Gold Digger was A THING.
W.J. McKelvey: Tessa Thompson? 34, so that could really work if they're doing the "daughter" thing.
For the love of God, throw the whole idea in the trash.
Danai Gurira is an excellent choice! Now I can't see anyone else. She can definitely pull off both archaeology professor and action hero, as well as the light comic touch these movies need. No family connection is necessary. Her character could have a backstory as one of Indy's colleagues during his international travels.
That said, I'm a little sad that we never got a Marion Ravenwood prequel starring Karen Allen years ago. It's no commentary on the actresses involved, but none of the female characters in any of the Indy sequels could compare to Marion.
Why? Nobody went to see that Lara Croft movie - and she is basically a female Indiana Jones. They should just recast the character like they do with James Bond- Harrison Ford is just too old for the part now
Spielberg's quote is so dumb. Indiana Jones could be a male *or* female name, no change required (ditto James Bond). Regardless, he's not the director to take the franchise into a woman-fronted direction. Next.
Danai Gurira!
Danai Gurira? FUCK YES, SHUT THE FUCK UP AND TAKE ALL OF MY MONEY!!!! Now that I would see but... it has to be written by a woman and no involvement from George Lucas.
Sofia Boutella, the twist could be she is Sallah's daughter and Indiana's goddaughter;
I agree with the comment that Spielberg’s quote is stupid... I find the ‘and there would be nothing wrong with that’ part particularly irritating. That said Danai Gurira suggestion is inspired. I’d love to see her break out and break free of the sinking Walking Dead ship.
I just watched ‘Certain Women’ so she’s right at the forefront of my mind but Lily Gladstone? Or Andrea Riseborough - because Andrea Riseborough can do anything. Emily Blunt? Abbie Cornish? Jane the Virgin ( sorry I forget the actress name but she was great in annihilation):
After Crystal Skull was anyone really crying out for a fifth movie? Maybe people have forgotten it existed?
I think Gugu Mbatha-Raw can do no wrong... she's done historical (Belle), she's done contemporary (Beyond the Lights), let her do comedic-action! (Which she kind of did briefly in that JJ Abrams show, right?)
I'm in the camp that once Harrison Ford isn't in the picture... this series should be laid to rest.
There is a good argument that Harrison Ford is too old now to make an INDIANA JONES movie... there is also a decent argument that he was too old for CRYSTAL SKULL to ever be made. But I think the franchise is synonymous with Ford. If you don't have him there as a grumpy old man still part of the adventure, what is the point? Time for original ideas.
STAR WARS is a universe with multiple threads / characters to hold interest... it makes sense to continue with a series like that even without original cast.
However, INDIANA JONES was never really about "world building"... it was about an extremely charismatic character going on adventures. And all that charisma is rooted in Harrison Ford. I just don't think it will work, and if they waste the next film "setting up" a female predecessor, I think they will be missing the opportunity to actually give Harrison Ford the send off he deserves if he is still willing to do this stuff.
And please, no CGI prairie dogs ever again! ;-)
Do we really need this?
Good lord have mercy. These SJWs are getting on my damn nerve.
Women should have their own original roles, not some leftovers.
NO MA'AM NEXT Indiana Joan my ass
A female Indiana won’t happen unless Lara Croft does well ... which isn’t.
That said, I vote for Rosario Dawson.
Ugh. How about just a new character. I don't want a male Lt. Ripley or a female Bond. What's the point? It would be a completely different character anyway.
I have zero interest in a female Indiana Jones, sorry. Make a good Lara Croft movie, instead.
Carmen Sandiego: Or Gina Diggers? Still, I'd kind of agree that an official "started with Spielberg" gender flip is arguably excessive when we A: already have two candidates for that kind of angle and B: Spielberg hasn't really been at his peak for awhile anyway.
Eliza Dushku? Cobie Smulders?
If they're gonna cast a female lead, then Janelle Monae or Gina Rodriguez. Although, if they want to go a bit younger, Saoirse Ronan would be a good choice.
Is this supposed to fill a gender quota?
If Spielberg- Lucas- Disney want to make more of Indiana Jones movies they should recast with a younger actor and go back in time- perhaps an origin story.
Allison Brie
Emily Blunt, Danai Gurira, Charlize Theron, Michelle Rodriguez.....Zoey Saldana? If younger Hailee Steinfeld has the grapes for it too I think. But if they wanted to keep it male deadass Michael b Jordan would be perfect. Cant you imagine him exclaiming “I hate snakes goddammit!”?
Doesn't "Black Panther" and "Wonder Woman" prove we don't need a Black James Bond or a female Indiana Jones or whatever? Create, nurture organically justified diverse characters. We may need a gay superhero, but we don't need a gay Superman.
Jessica Chastain would be my choice!
Daniella -- 1000%. Unfortunately comic books themselves have done a lot of that "this character only female/non-white" over the years (batgirl, supergirl, spiderwoman, etcetera, various iterations of green lantern, spider-man, thor, etctera) so they seem to think it's the way to go. (Sigh). But yes, new characters is the way to go both because fresh energy and creativity are crucial to anything long-running (like, say, film franchises) and because representation is important.
It could even work (eventually) the other way around but we don't need, say, a white male Thelma & Louise in which two men rebel against the oppressive toxic masculinity of the system and the expectations it places on them... BUT it would be cool to eventually have male characters who did that. Just not "Tom and Louis," you know?!. If only Hollywood understood that you can address theme and representation and story arcs in multiple ways WITHOUT regurgitation with minor cosmetic makeover.
Exactly Nat. My Gurira suggestion isn't to extend an Indiana Jones arc, but to create a new one. And Gurira is an action star waiting to happen. If Hollywood doesn't see that most of the reason Black Panther works so well is because of it's heroines, it isn't trying.
Should cast an Oscar nominated actress. I'd vote for Olivia de Havilland, Carol Channing, Doris Day or perhaps Valentina Cortese, to spice things up a bit.
I think it should be Alaska Jones, starring Alaska Thunderf-ck 5000.
Nobody remembers The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec.
Why regender Jones? There's already female adventurers to work with.