George Lucas: No Harrison Ford, No "Indiana Jones"

NICASIO, Calif. — George Lucas says he's already identified the one person who can keep the "Indiana Jones" franchise going: Harrison Ford.

The filmmaker scoffed at the possibility of passing the famed fedora from Ford to Shia LaBeouf, the 22-year-old actor who played Indy's son Mutt Williams in this summer's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

"He is Indiana Jones," Lucas said of Ford. "If Indiana Jones wasn't in it, you'd have to call it 'Mutt Williams and the search for Elvis.' ... "Yeah, it's 'Mutt Williams and the Search for Elvis.'"

Lucas sat down with AP Television at his Big Rock Ranch outside San Francisco, where he said he didn't pay much attention to the reception from critics and fans to "Crystal Skull," a sci-fi adventure set in the 1950s. But he definitely sees a future for Dr. Jones. A fifth movie is certainly a possibility.

"The franchise really depends on me coming up with a good idea," Lucas said. "And that series is very research-intensive. So we're doing research now to see if we can't come up with another object for him to chase ... hopefully we'll come up with something."

Meanwhile, the 64-year-old has another popular franchise to nurture: "Star Wars."

Lucas produced the animated "Star Wars: Clone Wars," hitting theaters Aug. 15. It will be followed in the fall with the launch of an animated TV series by the same name, airing on the Cartoon Network and TNT. Lucas plans a live-action "Star Wars" TV series as well, and he's also looking into re-releasing the six "Star Wars" films using new 3-D technology.

"We're trying to do that," Lucas said. "We worked on some, with a company that was developing the technology a few years ago to convert films into 3-D, we worked with them. But the system works great. It's just not very practical. So what we've been working on since then is to develop a sort of practical way to do it. And we will get there. It's just a technological challenge."

The producer-director waxed nostalgic for the days when talking to the press wasn't necessary to promote a film.

"I like when you focus on making movies, you make movies and people go to see them," he said. "But there's this whole other industry that's been created which the world hasn't quite adjusted to or caught up to or figured out. It's the same thing with copyright and all kinds of other things where things are going around that I'm sure at some point will become more civilized. I'm just waiting. Like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, I'll go out and adopt twins if they'll pay me $14 million to do it."

Comments

[protagonia]

Long may you run, the both of ya!

[Verified]

Lucas looks more and more like Chewbacca the older he gets.

[Agentlady007]

Theoretically he IS Chewbacca.

[LewScannon]

Apparently, Lucas has run out of ideas for new characters then?

[Nooneyouknow]

Please, George, hire a good writer and stay out of his or her way.

[Marshall Lucky]

George Lucas is the greatest filmmaker of all time. Just look at how many people bitch and whine about his movies, yet they still pay to watch.

Face it folks, he OWNS you!

[STORMATSEA]

Sorry kids, but I enjoyed the last Indy movie, But, I saw it for entertainment.
Maybe I was wrong.

[Devver]

Me too Storm. I love Indy. I love Harrison. If they did "Indiana Jones reads the greater NYC phone book" I'd go see it! But Lucas is so on the money. There is only ONE Indy.....

[blytzd]

It wll be interesting once George passes away and we can finally remake Star Wars (especially those three prequels). George you can't direct. Poor Natalie Portman you almost sunk her career.

[2grainsofsalt]

If only a budding genius director with a name like "blytzd" had the chance to direct some of the most popular movies in the history of movies, they might have been more...well, blytzy.

[flyers]

I love the old Star Wars movies, and I love Raiders of the Lost Ark, but how about this George, "NO NEW STAR WARS AND INDIANA JONES MOVIES!!!" Both series have run their course and they are like a great TV show that are in their last season and you can see their past their prime.

[Mykel]

Not Indiana BONES!

[bantrybay]

Back off Lucas! It is his call and that is it. For those two of you losers who criticize him, there are millions and millions who love him. Your comments about his ranch are ridiculous, what did you do, sit outside his gate and come to that stupid conclusion?

[cutnshoot]

I have noticed on the net that many times when someone dares to criticize someone or thing that many people love they are called a loser. Its ok if you like his films and I know many do but its just lame to claim someone a "loser" if they don't. I don't think you are a loser for liking Lucas's "I had the operation and can't have offspring" films.....talk about loser. And I have spent many weeks at the "ranch" doing post-production. And it is a world class post-production heaven. I just think George is better off providing tools for those that make film rather than making them himself. But his films have made tons of money and so has McDonalds......I say more power to him making his $$$ but I still don't like his films and that doesn't make me a loser. I really did like A.G. and saw it a year or so ago and it still held up.

[whatsthatsound]

It's George who lost it, about halfway through The Empire Strikes Back, I'd say. That was a great film, but as soon as The Emperor appeared it was straight downhill. Think of the first film; you had two of the classic baddies of moviedom. Governor Tarkin walked straight off a James Bond set. All he needed was a white cat purring on his lap (or Ewok or something). And Darth Vader was like a Ninja/Samurai/Warlock from hell! It never hurts a movie when the villains are more interesting than the heroes, and the first Star Wars delivered a one-two punch. Then, along comes the Emperor, and he was like Ozzie Osbourne having a bad hair day. Boo! Darth was on his own, and George had to rely on whizzbang special effects.

[mlaiuppa]

Thank gawd. If I never see "Mutt Williams" again it will be too soon. Casting loser LaBeouf was sheer insanity.

Harrison Ford *is* Indiana Jones. And if there's no Indy, there's no movie.

I understand the pyramid holding the tomb of the first emperor of China hasn't been opened yet. They're still uncovering terracotta warriors. Maybe something there.

King Solomon's mines again?

Golden Sun mask of the Incas?

Just leave the Mutt out. It was good for one gag. It's over.

[iraqwartheonlyissue]

I completely agree. I originally heard that Sean Connery was supposed to reprise his role. Instead, we get Shia LeBouf. It wasn't watchable at all. Best of luck to Lucas with his new animated box office poison.

[jgalvan]

Promise

[RButler]

I recall back in the 70s a car magazine article said of General Motors 'they are more interested in the process than the product'. Sounds like the same is true of Lucas. Actually, the same might said of most new high tech movies. When I see shows on TV at the same time the movie is released showing 'how they made it' I figure it'll be awful.

[Helzapoppin]

If there is any justice in this world, George Lucas will never make another movie for the rest of his life. The second Star Wars trilogy was bad enough, but what he (and Spielberg, for that matter) did to Indiana Jones with that horrible horrible movie this year was the last straw.

[whatsthatsound]

Agreed. Watching this guy move from "American Graffiti" to Jar Jar Binks was like listening to Paul McCartney move from "Revolver" to "Listen to What the Man Says".

[JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin]

Ouch, that's rough...but true.

I still say the only decent film George ever did was the original THX 1138.

[dekkerink]

Hey, easy there. Easy. Revolver was an album with contributions by all the Beatles not just one song. Paul's compositions "Here, There, and Everywhere", "Got to get to into my life", and "Good day sunshine" aren't that far removed from "Listen to what the man said". Your point would be better made with examples like "Ebony and Ivory", or "Silly love songs". Or better yet, why not just leave Paul out of it altogether (now).

[zitlight73]

How about neo-con nazis led by Karl Rove clones destroying truth, justice and the American Way? Is Indy ready to deal with the Rise and Fall of the Fourth Reich?