In 1977, George Lucas changed the world when he released the iconic science fiction/fantasy film, Star Wars. While Lucas might have had doubts about how such a new type of movie would be received, fans couldn’t get enough, and he became one of the biggest names in the world. And while lightsabers, wookies, Death Stars, and Millennium Falcons might not have been anything anyone had heard of before, it wasn’t Lucas’s only big idea.
Four years after the first Star Wars film was released, Lucas would launch another franchise that would become one of the most famous in the world — Indiana Jones.
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Lucas teamed up with Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo in Star Wars, and turned him into a professor of archaeology. While Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones might have been known for his tweed suits, once on the search for the Ark of the Covenant, he dons a fedora, and his trusty weapon of choice is a bullwhip.
The first three films in the franchise — Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), The Temple of Doom (1984), and The Last Crusade (1989) — were very successful, and fans thought the legacy of Indiana Jones had come to an end.
Then, in 2008, Paramount once again teamed up with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to release Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The new film would go on to be the highest-grossing film in the franchise, but it received mixed reviews and is not really considered a success with critics and audiences.
Related: Fans Cry Foul Over Alleged Deception in ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’
In 2012, Disney purchased Lucasfilm, and in 2023, it brought Harrison Ford back in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. While Dial of Destiny was much better-received by audiences than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it didn’t make half as much money as its predecessor, taking in just $384 million at the global box office.
After losing more than an estimated $130 million on the last Indiana Jones film, many thought that the famed archaeologist’s stories had come to an end.
But, with Disney, nothing is truly dead, and rumors are swirling that Disney isn’t quite ready to let go.
Related: “S*** Happens,” Harrison Ford Breaks Silence on ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Box Office Bomb
According to DisInsider, the Mouse House is planning on rebooting the franchise. Nothing has been confirmed, but sources claim that the announcement might come at the next D23 Expo in 2026.
Lucasfilm is letting the franchise rest for a bit before they do a full reboot of the franchise. I would expect the studio to announce something next year at the D23 Expo because even though the last film tanked at the box office, Indiana Jones is still an iconic IP and Disney/Lucasfilm do not want to waste that.
It may seem odd to some for Disney to reboot a franchise as legendary as Indiana Jones, but it might actually make a lot of sense.
Disney is currently working on a new land in Walt Disney World Resort’s Animal Kingdom Park. The new area is called Tropical Americas and is replacing DinoLand, U.S.A. The new land will have one area themed after the hit animated film, Encanto (2021), and another area themed after the Indiana Jones franchise.
So, it does make sense that Disney would consider rebooting the franchise to ensure that the new land stays relevant to guests. However, it remains to be seen whether dedicated fans will embrace a reboot.
Would you like to see Disney reboot Indiana Jones? What actor do you think could play the archaeologist as well as Harrison Ford? Or should Disney leave the franchise alone completely? Let us know your thoughts on all things Indiana Jones in the comments!
The post In Stunning Move, Disney Planning on Rebooting Iconic Franchise appeared first on Inside the Magic.
