Videos by ComicBook.com
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.
