Depending on how far back the Indiana Jones reboot goes, Anton Yelchin could play a great, younger Indy. The Star Trek and Terminator: Salvation alum already knows how to handle a franchise role, but hasn’t yet managed to acquire leading man status. If Disney wants to go for a lesser-known actor for such an iconic role as Indy, I would definitely recommend Yelchin.
Garrett Hedlund is another actor with some Disney history. He was in 2010’s TRON: Legacy, which may have failed to respark a great deal of interest in the property, but DID spark a great deal of interest in Hedlund himself. Since then, he’s been in a handful of smaller films. Perhaps this could be his second chance at blockbuster gold?
Disney may want to steer clear of Armie Hammer after the huge disappointment (critically and financially) that was The Lone Ranger, but the actor is on the cusp of landing a great leading role and Indy could very well be it. Armie has similar features to a young Harrison Ford, and can hold his own in both the action and dramatic scenes. He’s also been in a few period pieces, meaning he’d fit right in with the franchise’s ’40s aesthetic.
Lee Pace has been landing roles in big franchises for a few years now, but I feel that he’s been tragically underused. We know he won’t be returning for more Kree justice in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, and the actor no longer has The Hobbit trilogy to worry about. He’s got the look, charisma, and acting chops to perfectly fit into the role of Indy, and is another actor just waiting to hit it big.
Pine may be the third Trek alum on this list, but he’s got a slight advantage over Urban and Yelchin: He’s already taken the reigns of a role previously played by Harrison Ford. I’m talking, of course, about last year’s ill-fated Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. That film may have failed to launch a franchise for Pine, but he’s proven in his portrayal of James Kirk that he can handle all of the things we love about Indiana Jones.
Zachary Levi is another actor who’s found a place in the heart of geekdom, thanks to his role in Chuck. He also has his foot in the door at Disney, thanks to roles in Thor: The Dark World and Tangled. He’s got the charm needed for the role of Indy, and the chops for the more dramatic moments as well.
