When Disney acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012, the Mouse House didn’t just gain access to the Star Wars franchise. Another classic Hollywood property found its way under Disney’s umbrella: Indiana Jones. It took a while, but eventually, a long-awaited fifth Indy movie, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, made its way to theaters. Directed by James Mangold, the film received generally positive reviews but struggled to click with audiences. Dial of Destiny bombed at the box office, grossing just $383.9 million worldwide. Unsurprisingly, the franchise has been on ice since then, and it doesn’t look like any further projects are imminent.
As Kathleen Kennedy steps down as Lucasfilm president, fans have been learning more about the states of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. With regard to the latter, The Wrap revealed that two proposed Indiana Jones TV shows were scrapped. The first was an animated series that was “set in-between the mainline movies,” chronicling Indy’s various adventures. The other was a live-action spinoff about Abner Ravenwood, Marion’s father and Indy’s mentor.
Kennedy also discussed the future of Indiana Jones movies in her exit interview with Deadline. “I don’t think Indy will ever be done, but I don’t think anybody is interested right now in exploring it,” she said. “But these are timeless movies, and Indy will never be done … You never know. But we are all still here, Steven [Spielberg] and Frank [Marshall] and I, and Harrison [Ford] and George [Lucas]. So we get to say whether there’s going to be any more, or not.”
Will Lucasfilm Ever Make New Indiana Jones Movies or TV Shows?
Exact reasons for why the two Indiana Jones TV shows were cancelled were not given, but it’s safe to assume the performance of Dial of Destiny had something to do with it. After that film underwhelmed at the box office, Lucasfilm and Disney probably felt additional projects would not be worth the investment, as general audiences did not appear all that interested in the property. Even though both series had potential to be fascinating expansions, it’d be difficult to justify the time and resources on the heels of Dial of Destiny.
That said, there is an argument to be made that these two TV shows should see the light of day. Arguably the main reason why Dial of Destiny fell short of expectations is because fans weren’t very interested in a story about an older Indiana Jones. A key part of the character’s appeal is his action hero status. It’s fun to live vicariously through Indiana Jones in his prime as he pulls off daring stunts and saves the world from various threats (much like James Bond). That kind of experience wasn’t possible in Dial of Destiny, which starred an elderly Harrison Ford, but it could be replicated in either the animated series or the Abner Ravenwood prequel.
It’ll be interesting to see if there’s any attempt to revive either of these projects now that Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan are in charge at Lucasfilm. The studio has a renowned animation department that’s delivered hit Star Wars series such as Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch. It would be fun to see what they could do with Indiana Jones, crafting old-school adventure serials that take full advantage of modern technology. The Abner Ravenwood prequel could be worth revisiting as well. That might be a way to add extra depth to Indy’s character, finally fleshing out his dynamic with his teacher. Abner was only mentioned in Raiders of the Lost Ark, so it would be fun to see him in action.
Star Wars is understandably the priority for Lucasfilm. Not only has that franchise proven to be more successful in the Disney era, it’s also a much larger canvas to work with. Indiana Jones is too beholden to one character; Star Wars is set in a whole universe with centuries of built-in history and a rich mythology to explore. But if there’s a way to keep Indiana Jones in the limelight, Lucasfilm should pursue it. Another movie might be a tough sell now (recasting Indiana Jones for a reboot could evoke memories of Solo: A Star Wars Story), but there are other mediums to work with. The video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was very successful, so maybe that’s the way forward.
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