While recent demonstrations of digital de-aging have been concerning, to say the least, it is intriguing to see what can be done with the tool when it is in hands of filmmakers with plenty of experience. Through an interview with Total Film, James Mangold has revealed that the opening sequence from Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will feature twenty-five minutes of a de-aged Harrison Ford in a flashback set years before the main plot of the movie. Right before the end of World War II, Indy was still making life very complicated for the Nazis, proving he is the best action hero and archeologist on the planet.
When the studio utilized the technology to allow Peter Cushing to reprise the role of Moff Tarkin in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, it was a relatively new feature, and the footage necessary to create a more faithful image of the actor simply wasn't available at the time. When it came to Harrison Ford looking like a younger version of Indiana Jones, the process was different, with plenty of time to learn how to improve the way the image looked while counting with hundreds and hundreds of hours of archival footage of the actor seen from different perspectives and illuminated by diverse sources of light.
In the latest Indiana Jones adventure, everyone's favorite hero will embark on an investigation while the Space Race is taking place. Indy finds clues that lead him to believe that former Nazi scientists have infiltrated NASA and are actually working on a plot to endanger the country. He will be joined by his goddaughter, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), after the young woman gets him into trouble, setting off the events of the movie. While audiences can expect the classic action that made Indiana Jones define blockbuster cinema during the 80s, Mangold's unique voice will bring a new spin to the franchise.
Dr. Jones is Retiring
Harrison Ford has dedicated a big part of his life to playing Indiana Jones, and the iconic character has remained a big part of pop culture ever since his debut in Raiders of the Lost Ark. But, with the release of Dial of Destiny, it is time to leave the hat and whip behind him, as this will be the final time Ford will play the role. In the most recent stage of his career, the actor has made it clear that he is ready to say goodbye to the heroes he helped established decades ago, just like he did with Han Solo in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While it is sad to see such emblematic characters going away, audiences can be happy with how Ford bids them farewell in his own terms.
You can check out the official trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny below, before the film hits theaters on June 30: