11 Actors Who Should Take Over Indiana Jones

With the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008, a terrible truth was revealed. In that less-than-satisfying fourquel, the once enigmatic and timeless combination of Harrison Ford and the classic character failed. Ford looked consistently bored throughout the film and was rarely more than a shell of his former self.

Since then, Ford has gone on to deliver some of the best performances of his career. His work in The Force Awakens and especially Blade Runner 2049 was exceptional, proving he is far from past his prime. But he is getting older. And so while, with those more recent performances under his belt, there are reasons to be optimistic about him reprising his Indy role in the upcoming fifth film, there are also reasons to be aware that he cannot keep this up.

If the Indiana Jones franchise is to carry on into the next generation, someone else will have to take up the fedora and bullwhip. Even Spielberg himself seems to be keen on this idea, as the director recently hinted in an interview that though the fifth Indy film will be Ford's last, it will not be the final film in the franchise.

The character of Indiana Jones is synonymous with Harrison Ford, much in the way Han Solo is, but Hollywood is Hollywood and franchises have to keep on trucking. So, if the character is to be recast, these are the actors who could best fill the void.

Evans is a well-established actor who has done all kinds of work but is undoubtedly best known for his role as Captain America.

Which is kind of what makes him perfect for the job. Indiana Jones is a good old-fashioned symbol of American values. He fights Nazis and is willing to risk life and limb in the interest of better serving not just his country, but the people at large. He believes that all relics and artifacts deserve to be preserved in a museum, not to be hoarded by those who would use them for less than righteous purposes.

But Indy's beliefs are dwarfed by the ever-changing world around him. Every character conflict in the Indiana Jones films essentially boils down to a conflict of values, in which Indy has to fight for what he believes is right, even when no one else seems to side with him. Which is exactly what the MCU has (cleverly) done with Captain America.

Evans plays him as a man out of time, whose beliefs are constantly being challenged by the reality he faces. He channels this conflict exceedingly well, all while deconstructing the myth of the great American hero. He could bring this exact same energy, optimism, and internal division to the character of Jones and be a more than worthy successor to the throne.