The news of Harrison Ford signing on for Star Wars: Episode VII despite trying to distance himself from the character of Han Solo for years initially seemed daunting for a potential Indiana Jones 5 film, but the newest news could be hinting that the actor will once again don the famous hat and whip after all.

Harrison Ford Finds Indiana Jones 'More Interesting' Than Star Wars?

Ford's secrecy of returning to the role may have had to do with his character actually being a lead in the newest chapter of the Star Wars movies, according to a new report on Flickering Myth. Though he, along with Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill as Luke and Leia, are all returning for the new film, Fisher and Hamill have been cast in supporting roles. Ford however, will be cast as a lead in the film opposite the newer, younger actors.

"Ford will join three of the young stars as one of the leads in the story," the site quoted from an Entertainment Weekly article on May 11.

Harrison Ford's Return To 'Star Wars' A Hint He Won't Play Indiana Jones Again?

The site reports that Ford had actually decided to return to the franchise after sitting down to a meeting with George Lucas prior to LucasFilm's sale to Disney.

The news has raised speculation that Ford's lead role will result in his finally getting the ending he wants for Han Solo -- a heroic and deadly exit.

If the character were to die at the end of Episode VII, it could also free the actor from having to appear in another spin-off movie, which is rumored to be a Han Solo origin story.

The news could spell good things for Ford's other huge action franchise, Indiana Jones. Rumors have been rampantly flying about a potential film for months, but there's been no confirmation that Ford would be returning for any films, if they are made.

Though no official announcements have been made for Indiana Jones 5, Ford himself has in the past expressed high regards for the character, comparing him to Han Solo and saying he found the Star Wars character far less intriguing.

"He's dumb as a stump," the actor said in a 2008 interview. 'He's got a good heart, but I think he's certainly a much less interesting character than Indiana Jones. The breadth of his story utility was never extensive. He was the foil between the other more compelling elements of the film, between the sage old warrior and the young hero. There's not much breadth of character to explore beyond what we got out of him."

It has also previously been reported that Ford may have refused to sign on for Star Wars again unless he could also reprise the Indiana Jones role.

Reports circulated in February that Ford wasn't willing to sign on to play Han Solo again unless Disney would let him be contracted again for not only Indiana Jones 5, but a sixth film as well.

"Regarding Harrison Ford, two more Indiana Jones features are in the negotiation stages as per Ford's contract clause on Star Wars, which is the primary reason he didn't 'publicly' or 'privately' commit, or so I'm told," a source told MarketSaw back in February.

If Ford refused to sign on to Star Wars until he had worked out a separate deal for the Indiana Jones franchise, fans could potentially expect an announcement for the film soon.



Tags
Indiana Jones 5, Disney, Movies