Disney needs to know that the future projects will be profitable based on the costs of producing it. Disney has plenty of IP not in current use.
Solo - flop, planned sequels never happened
The Lone Ranger - flop, planned sequels never happened
John Carter - flop, planned sequels never happened
Tron - the sequel flopped, planned sequels never happened
National Treasure - moderate success, but couldn't agree on story for 3rd movie so 3rd movie never happened
Wrinkle in Time - flop, planned sequels never happened
Pirates of the Caribbean - Falling interest and Johnny Depp's public troubles, 6th movie was cancelled. Looking at spin off characters, but currently in development hell
And a particularly painful one for me: The Rocketeer (1991) - flop, planned sequels never happened
Those things still needed to flop first. I don't want Indy to flop - but if they try and legacy him away with a new character, the flop will be had. Which, no on wants a flop.
I do want another Indiana Jones movies, fuck it, I want a hundred of them. Just recast. But some people don't like that, and I don't like the other option. And I think letting a franchise die is pretty crappy too. So there's no way forward to make everyone happy.
I want to see Indy keep going if only to give Lucasfilm something that isn't Star Wars.
We are getting an Indiana Jones movie. Given his age, it will be the last with Harrison Ford. I'm pretty sure the only it's getting made at all is because Ford wants to do it.
But no matter what approach the movie takes, it still has to come out before anyone can determine if it's a flop. Even if it has legacy plot. The question is what to do once Ford is out.
You want a recast. I want it to either end or continue with new characters. None of that matters because the decision isn't up to us. It's up to Disney.
Disney is only going to go forward without Harrison Ford if they believe it will make money. And the last time they tried that with an iconic character portrayed by Harrison Ford, it flopped hard.
Solo flopping was mostly down to forces outside its control, chiefly the reception to Last Jedi being so recent and the lack of promotion it received as a result. Most people I ask think it’s extremely underrated. Lando will be an effective spiritual sequel to it and there’s honestly scope to launch a Qi’Ra and Maul or even a Han and Chewie series from that.
And Rocketeer is getting a belated relaunch after being a cult classic for years.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark is a really good film. The two sequels are pretty decent too. Don't need anything else ever, ta - it's a cultural moment that passed.
I hear things ever so often that there is interest in making another Tron movie. I think it's stuck in developmental hell at the moment. And The Rocketeer is getting either a reboot or a sequel focusing on a new character donning the jet pack.
I still maintain that The Lone Ranger isn't as bad a most make it out to be. But between Depp and Hammer, if they would make a sequel they'd both need to be recast.
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Yah I liked Solo as well. Now I wonder sometimes if its destined to generally be ignored and denied like the Holiday Special.
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