Editorials,  Movies/Entertainment

Hypothetical: If No Property Is Sacred Anymore, Could An 'Indy' Reboot Work??

I’ve been watching Justified more and more lately and it’s safe to say I’m hooked. To me it’s one of the best new shows out there and I wager it’ll pick up steam and be around for a while. Being a HUGE fan of House M.D., this is the only show that has grabbed my attention with an awesome main character on par with Greg House. Also the writing is top-notch and very very witty. Further, just when it seems like the show is about to wrap up, I am overjoyed to find I still have about 12 minutes left in the episode.

Now while I have nothing but praise for Olypahnt’s work and his magnetic screen presence, I’d like to turn this post into a game of “wouldn’t that be sweet if…”. In Justified, he, as Raylan Givens, carries himself with a professional (and slightly cocky) confidence that lets him chew up each scene with an intangible likability. Over the past few episodes I’ve started thinking about the hat Olyphant wears in the show and what role he might be suitable for on the big screen. He wears the hat and carries himself with a certain rugged nature that I’ve seen somewhere before…nope, not like the characters in Tombstone. Although wearing a cowboy hat, you could argue the case for Olyphant in any kick-ass new western (especially after his work in Deadwood). No I’m going a little further back…and at the same time, not that far back at all.

My crazy brain has taken me a property I badly want to see revived. The purist in me says “no, it will never happen” but based on some aggravating news surrounding the prior Spider-Man series, this idea of mine may not be the long shot I think it is. Since that dreadful and supremely disheartening news of the scrapping and reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, it seems like nothing is sacred in Hollywood these days. That said, if the studios really believe that anything is fair game, how about we take a stab at one very hallowed franchise that is both very old and, like Spider-Man, had a pretty terrible latest (most would argue unnecessary) installment. Is anyone with me yet???

That’s right (and I still can’t believe I’m saying this), let’s reboot the Indiana Jones franchise!! Now please people, don’t grab your torch and pitch forks just yet…hear me out. We all can agree that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was not what we wanted it to be. I have repeated my feelings here many times and above all it was (among a list of more hurtful things) simply just too little too late. There is news and work being done to make a 5th Indy film and frankly that just makes me ill. Certain actors are just too old and past their prime to reprise, convincingly, the characters that made them icons. Basically let it go, you’re a legend, you have nothing left to prove. Bond, Batman, and now I propose Indiana effen Jones!!

If the studios are hard up to make money on something that we will see just based on the name alone, then start Indy a new. Let the magic and success of the previous films stay legendary (like Casablanca) and just don’t mess with it anymore. So my suggestion would be to cast Timothy Olyphant as Indiana Jones. Now since it will take a few years for Indy 5 to ever get in theaters (remember that Ford will be nearly 70 by then) let Olyphant mature just a bit longer, throw on about 20-30 more pounds and I think you’ve got one hell of a replacement! At the very least, he looks pretty damn good in a hat and has that familiar rugged swagger that made Ford the indelible hero from our youth.

Please Hollywood, heed this line from The Last Crusade…”You must choose, but choose wisely. The fresh Indy will grant you life and renewed franchise rights, a new trilogy along the success level of Casino Royale and Batman Begins. The frail Indy will take it from you.”

Also, now this is really a stretch, but what if Harrison played Henry Jones Sr, and Timothy played Junior?? Hell, it worked in a similar way with Spock in the latest Star Trek…but what do you all think? Am I crazy? Is this blasphemy? Does anyone want to see Indiana Jones and the Quest for the Great Hall of Medicine? Or does injecting some new blood into the series seem like a ballsy but pretty good idea??

9 Comments

  • mcarteratthemovies

    Marc, you’re a genius. This is crazy enough that it just might work. Timothy Olyphant is the poo these days. This might be what he needs to make him a leading man in the world of movies.

    Maybe we should leave Harry out of it. He was thoroughly violated by “Crystal Skull”; doesn’t the man deserve a break? Besides, how long can the “I’m too old and crotchedy for this sh**” joke work?

    • Marc

      Thanks Mer! Like I wrote, if nothing is valued for its effect on the history of cinema then let’s remake everything. Just try blood effen hard to to do it right and get the story better. One thing I learned from listening to Pete Docter is that “if the heart and soul of the story isn’t there then why bother telling it?”. Smart guy!!

      Yeah throwing Ford in and trying to duplicate the magic of Crusade would be a big stretch, but my whole post was shooting for the moon so I figured, why not suggest it:) Also, that joke does get old…just like “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” in all the Star Wars films:P

  • Steve

    A revolutionary idea. And the perfect way to neutralize Shilo Labeef.

    However, because I don’t want to join you in movie hell for blasphemy, I’m suggesting that he could instead make a good Lone Ranger, or maybe the coolest Buck Rogers ever? How about him for a reboot of Quantum Leap?

    • Marc

      Yeah, the series is forever tainted by Mutt…what a lame plot device. In it’s defense it brought back Karen Allen, but nostalgia only goes so far:(

      Oh hell yeah, Lone Ranger for sure…or, now hear me out…The Flash. Oh wait, they already cat Michael Cera as the Flash right? Now that’s a winning move there…

  • Rodders

    While I’m quite content with the original trilogy (even though I also own KOTCS), and think it remains blasphemy to consider a reboot of Indy, the one fantastic thing about this possiblity is that it would reset the clocks and allow Indy to tackle those enemies that make him the hero he is… namely, the Nazis (after all, Temple of Doom was the weakest of the original three. why? it had no frikkin NAZIs!!!)

    So yeah, ok, sned me to hell alongside you, but I’m in for a reboot, as long as the Nazis are in the mix somewhere. 🙂

    • Marc

      Awesome, I got company in Hell. Welcome aboard Rodders:)

      True, Nazis (although way overused as scapegoats and film heavies) are the reason Indy is so awesome. Indy’s taking down a corrupt and powerful government…not just some crazy Indian magic-man.
      Also, Temple of Doom was actually a prequel to Raiders, so what say they either go somewhere between the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and “Doom”??…that’d be a good way to literally break “into” the series. Or just scrap it all and start over like Hollywood is prone to doing:P

  • Kai B. Parker

    My wife has a huge crush on Olyphant. Personally, I don’t like him because of the way Kevin Smith said he acted on the set of Die Hard. As far as Indy… PLEASE… GOD…NO!!! Some things are best left alone. Sadly, it’ll probably happen now that you’ve thrown it out in the universe!!! 🙂

    • Marc

      I’m not saying I want it to happen but if it did, I would be less angry if he was in the role (I’d also be happy that Hollywood took an idea of mine…or should I say from me?).

      Also, worse things have happened in Cinema and the sooner we learn that nothing is sacred (thanks in large part to George Lucas for starting that trend) the more we’ll eventually get used to the idea. Kind of like paying taxes:(