With Harrison Ford temporarily out of action (the latest rumors are that while he recovers from the ankle injury he suffered on the set of “Episode VII,” he could be filmed from the waist up, although that could also be because he’s refusing to wear pants, a la Marlon Brando in “The Score“), it’s undoubtedly going to be causing problems on the set of J.J. Abrams‘ new “Star Wars” movie. But in the meantime, Hollywood are already looking for a potential Harrison Ford replacement, because there’s supposedly an Indiana Jones reboot in the offing, and a “Star Wars” spin-off focusing on Han Solo, and the 71-year-old Ford is almost certainly too old to star in either.
Recent rumors have pegged a semi-unlikely possibility to take over one or both movies, with “Twilight” star Robert Pattinson said to be linked to both the “Indiana Jones” and “Han Solo” reboots. To be honest, we never even bothered with the rumors, as they were patently bullshit to begin with, but if there was ever any doubt, it can be dismissed now, because R-Patz himself has come out and denied the reports.
While at the premiere for his latest film, “The Rover,” the actor told People when asked about the prospect of picking up Indy’s hat and whip, “I don’t know why. Why is that coming out? I honestly don’t understand what it’s all about. Man, I wish.” And a similar response landed for the Han Solo question. “I didn’t even know there was a Han Solo spinoff coming out. Sounds like a cool spinoff. I’ll watch it.”
Now, Pattinson could simply be keeping up a good poker face, but there was never much reason to believe these reports: Pattinson’s choices have been skewing towards working with more interesting indie type directors (Olivier Assayas is next), and other than a healthy ambivalence towards the franchise that made his name, he doesn’t have much in common with Ford as a performer, and there are more obvious choices to play both roles (Chris Pratt for one, if that first image from “Jurassic World“ is anything to go by).
That’s not to say that Pattinson couldn’t take over a Ford role at some point (were, god forbidding “Blade Runner,” “Witness” or “Frantic” to get remakes, he’d be much better suited, while at the rate that the Jack Ryan series is going, the next time that series gets rebooted might be in the middle of one of the movies), but there’s a roguish charm to Indy and Han that Pattinson hasn’t particularly shown himself to be suited for. Besides, he’s got more interesting things to be doing. “The Rover” is in theaters now, and expands this coming Friday.