The teaser trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny gives the first look at de-aged Harrison Ford, which is proving to be Disney’s best use of the technology yet. Disney’s use of de-aging technology has been received with varying praise and criticism for quality, ethics, and innovation, yet each new project proves that Disney continues improving upon its approach to the filmmaking tool. For example, after improving upon his de-aging in The Mandalorian, Disney’s use of deepfake technology to make Mark Hamill appear younger in The Book of Boba Fett still wasn’t entirely believable. News of Harrison Ford’s de-aging in Indiana Jones 5 was consequently taken with apprehension, but the trailer should alleviate any fears.
Harrison Ford previously remarked to Empire that Indiana Jones 5’s de-aging technology was the “first time [he’s] seen it that [he’s] believed it,” with the impressive execution in the trailer failing to disappoint. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s first trailer reveals 80-year-old Harrison Ford de-aged to the actor’s physical appearance from the original Indiana Jones trilogy. The flashback scene takes place in 1944, approximately 25 years before Indiana Jones 5’s timeline, yet Ford looks even younger, and it’s entirely realistic. There’s still much room for improvement with the technology, but Disney’s de-aging of Harrison Ford finally makes the case that it looks like found footage.
Why Indiana Jones 5's De-Aged Harrison Ford Looks So Good
Disney has already implemented de-aging technology in several of its big-budget films and TV shows, including for actors Mark Hamill in The Mandalorian, Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Kurt Russell in The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Michael Douglas in Ant-Man. Harrison Ford is the latest iconic actor to be de-aged by Disney, yet it’s the first time that it truly looks realistic. Consequently, part of the reason why this has been accomplished is through trial and error by Disney, as each de-aged actor appears better with each new project.
Harrison Ford’s impressive de-aging during Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s trailer can also be attributed to the fact that the new movie has taken time and care to increase the quality of the tech. Indiana Jones 5 began filming in June 2021, so Disney has had ample time to test the technology and ensure its quality is fit for the big screen. The better quality of Indiana Jones’ de-aging also comes from the ILM (Industrial Magic & Light) software's new VFX technology that Disney is implementing. Considering how good the product turned out for Indiana Jones 5, Disney will likely return to the de-aging software for future films and series.
Indiana Jones 5 Counters The Argument That De-Aging Tech Is Bad
Much of the apprehension for the use of de-aging technology is that it looks bad or unrealistic, and can thus hurt the immersive experience of certain movies and TV shows. However, the shot of de-aged Harrison Ford from Indiana Jones 5's trailer counters this argument due to its shocking realism – it genuinely looks like Ford from the 1990s. Disney’s de-aging tech has certainly earned its criticism in the past, but the careful attention to detail that can be gleaned from just a snippet of young Harrison Ford in the trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny supports the notion that with more practice and improvements in their technology, Disney is finally justifying its divisive use of CGI de-aging.
