Harrison Ford Says There’s No ‘Old Jokes’ In New ‘Indiana Jones’ Movie

Actor Harrison Ford knows how old he is and he doesn't think the audience needs a reminder!

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” marks the 80-year-old actor's fifth and final time as the whip-slinging archaeologist and he is prepared to go out without a lot of jokes concerning his age.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ford admitted "There were a lot of old jokes in the script.” However, it appears the “Star Wars” alum clearly wasn’t a fan, as he quickly clarified, "We took them all out."

“There is a moment where he observes himself in this situation and says, 'What the f--- am I doing in here?' But I hate what I call 'talking about the story.' I want to see circumstances in which the audience gets a chance to experience the story, not to be led through the nose with highlights pointed out to them,” Ford added. “I'd rather create behavior that is the joke of age rather than talk about it."

Some fans are nervous to see Harrison Ford return as the beloved character, especially since “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” the last “Indiana Jones” movie to hit theaters, was far from well-received.

The new movie has already garnered criticism due to the de-aging technology used in order to create Ford’s younger self. However, although he called the process “bizarre,” Ford admitted that “it works.”

"I never loved the idea until I saw how it was accomplished in this case — which is very different than the way it's been done in other films I've seen," Ford said. "They've got every frame of film, either printed or unprinted, of me during 40 years of working with Lucasfilm on various stuff. I can act the scene and they sort through with AI every fucking foot of film to find me in that same angle and light. It's bizarre, and it works, and it is my face."

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is directed by James Mangold, who served as producer on Ford’s 2020 film “The Call of the Wild.” It will be the first “Indiana Jones” film that is not directed by Steven Spielberg, but Ford said that “The Fabelmans” filmmaker was still a big part of the production.

"Jim developed the script, so I knew what we were getting when we were going in that direction," Ford said. "But Steven's still on the picture and has always been on the picture. He's not the director this time, but he's intimately involved."

During the same THR interview, Ford also touched on his new role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “The Fugitive” actor is taking over the role of General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross from the late William Hurt.

Although he is already involved with several blockbuster franchises, Ford gave a simple answer as to why he would like to join the MCU. "I thought, 'Everybody else seems to be having a great time.' I watch all these terrific actors having a good time," Ford said. "I like doing something different to what I've ever done and pleasing people with it. So I'll try a piece of that."

The character was originally played by Sam Elliott in Ang Lee’s 2003 “Hulk” but William Hurt took over the character in 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk,” where Edward Norton played the green hulking hero. Hurt returned to his role when Mark Ruffalo took over as the Hulk, appearing in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War” in his new position of U.S. Secretary of State.

With continued appearances in “Thunderbolts” and “Captain America: New World Order,” both currently scheduled for a 2024 theatrical release, it looks like fans can look forward to seeing a lot more of Harrison Ford in the future.

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” will be released in theaters on Friday, June 30, 2023. “Captain America: New World Order,” which also stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, is scheduled to hit theaters on May 3, 2024. “Thunderbolts,” featuring Florence Pugh, is expected to follow on July 26, 2024.