Harrison Ford knew audiences would connect with Star Wars

Wookiees. Why’d it have to be Wookiees? Wait, even we’re overwhelmed with all of Harrison Ford’s character reprisals. The actor has stepped back into the shoes of iconic characters, including Han Solo, over the past few years…and it was that character that helped Harrison Ford recognize that Star Wars would be a huge hit.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Harrison Ford said that, while he probably couldn’t have imagined just what Star Wars would spawn in the years that followed, he knew its core heart and values made it accessible. “I thought Star Wars was going to work. I don’t know much about science fiction, and I’m not necessarily a huge fan — I’ve got nothing against it, I just don’t know it that well, and I never thought that much about it — but I do know about fairy tales because I’ve got kids, so I could smell the fairy tale thing. The callow youth, the wise old warrior, the beautiful princess. I sort of knew that I [as Han Solo] was the smartass that was necessary. It’s pepper. So, I sort of identified the potential for success in it. At least it would put my children to sleep.”

In addition to Star Wars Han Solo, Harrison Ford has of course reprised other fan favorite characters: Indiana Jones for the fifth installment, Dial of Destiny (which premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where Ford also received an Honorary Palme d’Or), and Rick Deckard in Blade Runner 2049.

On reprising these roles, Harrison Ford never expected to take part in them again, saying, “It never crossed my mind. I don’t even remember if that was in favor back in the older days. We didn’t do that back then. When I did the first Star Wars, the only objection I had to the contract was the sequel clause, which I didn’t sign…I didn’t want to be obliged. I wanted to see whether the one was successful before I was locked into two more. But, again, fate intervened.” That fate found him reprising Han Solo more than three decades after last playing him in Return of the Jedi, giving the character the farewell Ford wanted all the way back in 1983.

While we love seeing Harrison Ford giving it his all in Star Wars and Indiana Jones flicks, some have claimed he is too old. And to that, we say check out the actor being deepfaked into Solo: A Star Wars Story.

How would you rank the Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Blade Runner revivals that Harrison Ford has been a part of? Is there another Ford character you would like to see him bring back one more time? Let us know!