Following the revelation that Indiana Jones 5 will indeed feature a de-aged Harrison Ford looking like he did way back when the intrepid archeologist made his debut in 1981, Ford has commented on seeing the effect in action. Speaking with Empire Magazine, Ford heaped praise on the de-aging that will bring young Indy back for the opening sequences of the fifth outing and calls it the first time that the special effect has been truly believable.
“This is the first time I’ve seen it where I believe it. It’s a little spooky. I don’t think I even want to know how it works, but it works.”
More than happy to stay ignorant of how it all works, Ford continued, adding that he has no desire to be young again, even if the de-aging looks good.
“Doesn’t make me want to be young, though. I’m glad to have earned my age.”
Rumors that Harrison Ford would be de-aged for Indiana Jones 5 have been circulating for some time. Last year, several set photos emerged showing Ford with motion-capture dots on his face. A tell-tale sign that some CGI magic would be utilized. While many were concerned that the de-aging would be used for the whole movie, it has now been revealed that it will simply be for the opening scene, with the earlier adventures of Indy no doubt linking with whatever mess he’s gotten himself into in his old age.
But is de-aging the 80-year-old Harrison Ford really a good idea? Typically, de-aging never quite manages to recreate an actor as they looked when they were actually young, instead crafting an airbrushed version of their current face. And with the image of a young Indiana Jones lovingly seared into our hearts and minds, could opening Indiana Jones 5 with a de-aged Ford get things off the wrong foot right from the beginning?
Of course, based on the wonderfully cynical Harrison Ford’s description, the opening could result in one of the most crowd-pleasingly nostalgic moments in cinematic history. Only time will tell.
Indiana Jones Will Battle Nazis in the 1960s
Plot details for Indiana Jones 5 have now been officially revealed, with Indy all set to once again battle the Nazis. Though this time, it will be against the backdrop of the 1960s space race.
“The simple fact is that the moon-landing program was run by a bunch of ex-Nazis How ‘ex’ they are is the question,” co-writer Jez Butterworth explained. “And it gets up Indy’s nose… It’s not just that the model of what a hero is has completely changed. It’s not just that they’re looking for something where there’s nothing up there – it’s like Reno without the gambling, or whatever his line is. But the people that are behind it are, you know, his sworn enemies.”
Directed by James Mangold from a script co-written by Mangold, Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth, Indiana Jones 5 stars Harrison Ford, John Rhys-Davies, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Boyd Holbrook, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones and Antonio Banderas.
Indiana Jones 5 is scheduled for release on June 30, 2023.