Dr. Jones has of course gone on to star in three sequel films, a TV series chronicling his adventures as a young man, and countless novels, video games, and other expanded universe materials. However, one area that Indiana has oddly never managed to conquer is the realm of animation. This seems strange, as both the character and his exciting exploits seem ripe for the cartoon treatment.
As it turns out, one man quite positive the Indiana Jones franchise would translate well to the format of an animated series is artist and animator Patrick Schoenmaker. According to EW, Schoenmaker was once commissioned by Lucasfilm and ACME Archives to create an illustration of Ford as Indy. Inspired by this take, Schoenmaker saw fit to embark on a follow-up project that was unsanctioned by his corporate patrons. Embedded above are the fruits of Schoemaker and team's labor, a minute-long piece of animation designed as a proof of concept for a potential Indiana Jones cartoon series.
According to Schoenmaker, the project took roughly five years to finish, and would have served as the opening credits sequence should Lucasfilm have opted to make the show proper. Within the short clip are cameos by several memorable supporting characters from the Indiana Jones films, including Short Round, Marion Ravenwood, and Indy's friend and often bumbling mentor Dr. Marcus Brody. Some of the adventure scenarios depicted also clearly recall similar scenes in the movies.
Sadly, Lucasfilm has confirmed that it has no current plans to actually turn Schoenmaker's The Adventures of Indiana Jones concept into a series, so for now, fans will have to make due with the above thrilling minute. Still, with Indiana Jones 5 on the way, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that Lucasfilm and/or its parent company Disney will revisit the idea down the road. After all, a cartoon is sure to attract new young fans to the franchise - fans who will surely then bother their parents into purchasing merchandise tied to the property.
NEXT: Indiana Jones 5 To Serve as a 'Requel'
Indiana Jones 5 opens in U.S. theaters on July 19th, 2019.
Source: EW