The press conference for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” was largely an obsequious affair on Saturday, with one journalist telling Harrison Ford “You’re still hot” and asking about his workout routine, and another wearing an “Indiana Jones” t-shirt telling the actor, “Thank you for existing.”
When IndieWire got the microphone, we chose instead to address producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall to get their take on the WGA strike, noting that a movie like “Indiana Jones” wouldn’t be able to go into production right now. “I would like to see the whole situation resolved by truly being in an environment where people can talk about what are some really complicated issues right now that are affecting the entire industry,” Kennedy said. “But when it comes to acknowledging the importance of writing, I think everybody up here demonstrates that you can’t do any of this without great writing. So all of us who make movies, who create anything on television, I am in full support — I know most people are in full support — of the writers getting what they deserve.”
Kennedy also hinted at the conversation surrounding AI technology that’s central to current negotiations. “I think what’s the meta issue here is how is that being impacted by an industry that’s in the midst of change, both technologically and just the basic aspects of how we work,” she said. “That’s going to take time and I think that’s what everybody’s getting ready for — to take the time that’s necessary to try to ensure that everybody can articulate what those feelings are and try to arrive at a resolution around alignment.”
Director James Mangold also weighed in. “Of course, we’re not writing now,” he said. “Writers are often, because they’re first in the process, they’re first to be forgotten. I think that is true in so many parts of our life in their struggle to get what’s fair for everyone.”
Ford, meanwhile, fielded a few meaningful questions about his decision to move on from the franchise at the age of 80. “Is it not evident?” he asked. “I need to sit down and rest a little bit. But I love to work and I love this character and I love what it brought to my life.”
He also addressed the de-aging technology used in the film to make him look like the earlier incarnation of the character. “This iteration of technology has evolved to the point where it seems to me very realistic, and I know that it is my face. It’s not Photoshop magic. That’s what I looked like 35 years ago because Lucasfilm has every frame of film that we’ve made together over all of these years. This process of scientific mining of this library was put to good use. It’s just a trick unless it’s supported by story and it sticks out like a sore thumb if it’s not real.”
