LOS ANGELES – JUNE 12: The movie: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark , (aka: “Raiders of the Lost Ark”), directed by Steven Spielberg. Seen here, Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Initial theatrical release June 12, 1981. Screen capture. A Paramount Picture. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
CBS via Getty Images
Indiana Jones franchise star Harrison Ford is bringing back his iconic adventurer for the first time since Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in 2023.
Ford, of course, first appeared as Indy in Raiders of the Lost Ark — later renamed Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark — in 1981 before reprising the role for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984 and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989.
Then, in 2008, Ford reunited with the original trilogy’s director Steven Spielberg and writer-producer George Lucas for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Ford took one final adventure as the legendary character under the direction of James Mangold with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
While it seemed that The Dial of Destiny was Ford’s swan song for the role, he’s agreed to come back for another go-round as the gun-slinging and whip-wielding archaeologist for a role — as an animatronic Indy — in a project under construction at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom theme park. According to Entertainment Weekly, plans were revealed Saturday night at Disney’s D23 convention in Anaheim, Calif., for the new Indy adventure, which is being built on the Dinoland U.S.A. attraction, which closed in 2025.
Harrison Ford Appears In A Video Announcement About The New ‘Indiana Jones’ Project
Harrison Ford made an announcement about the upcoming attraction — which is called Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent— via video Saturday night at D23.
In the video, Ford said, “Hello, D23, thanks for coming along on all of Indy’s adventures. Soon it will be time for his next ride, and I’m pleased to share for the first time ever, I’m the actual model for the Indiana Jones animatronic — fear of snakes included.”
Ford, 84, did not indicate when Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent would open, only to say that it would be “soon.” Disney did not indicate, either, whether the version of Indy for the ride will be from the original Indiana Jones movie trilogy or from the 2008 or 2023 film.
Indy was first brought to life at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios theme park in 1989 with the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! live show, where a stunt actor would play the daring adventurer in a recreation of his greatest action scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark.