Harrison Ford has played Indiana Jones in five movies over the course of over 40 years, and here's how old the actor was for each Indy release.

Summary

• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was released 42 years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the franchise has lasted more than half of Harrison Ford's lifetime.
• Harrison Ford prefers the character of Indiana Jones over Han Solo, finding him more interesting and compelling.
• Ford's age throughout the Indiana Jones movies is an interesting aspect, as he played the character at different ages but still maintained the same level of enthusiasm and performance.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was released 42 years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the Indiana Jones franchise has lasted more than half of Harrison Ford's lifetime. The Indiana Jones series sees the titular archeologist on globetrotting adventures to retrieve supernatural relics, and while the 2023 release had a mixed reception, it was exciting to see Ford, back as Indy. Ford has played a number of iconic characters, including Deckard in Blade Runner and Han Solo in Star Wars, and though the actor has returned in legacy sequels in both of those series, there's one character he has way more affinity for than any other.

Ford likes Indiana Jones more than Han Solo, as the actor explained, "Solo's got a good heart, but I think he's certainly a much less interesting character than Indiana Jones." That's what has kept the seasoned and prolific actor returning to the franchise for 40 years. Given that the franchise has had huge gaps between movies, Ford, born on July 13, 1942 (via USA Today), has starred in at least one Indiana Jones movie in the '80s, 2000s, and 2020s. That's what makes Ford's age in each release - and how the movies take advantage of this - so interesting.

Harrison Ford Is 38 Years Old In Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark's shoot began in June 1980, (via LucasFilm) which meant that Harrison was 37 years old when he started filming the movie, the same age as Indiana Jones himself. However, as principal photography continued until September and lasted for 72 days, Ford is 38 years old in most of the scenes. Nevertheless, despite being at his youngest, healthiest, and most nimble, Ford still suffered from amoebic dysentery while shooting in Egypt. That illness led to one of the most iconic movie scenes, as Ford decided to shoot the swordsman instead of engage in a planned Raiders of the Lost Ark fight scene.

Harrison Ford Is 40 Years Old In The Temple Of Doom

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom arrived three years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, but given that principal photography for the second movie began in April 1983 (via The Raider), Ford wasn't quite 41 yet. However, shooting ran until August 26, so Ford is 41 in some of the movie's scenes. Interestingly, while it isn't obvious in the film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a prequel, as the movie's set one year before the original film. So while Ford is almost three years older than he was when shooting Raiders of the Lost Ark, the actor is playing a spry 36-year-old version of the archaeologist.

Harrison Ford Is 45 Years Old In The Last Crusade

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade arrived in 1989, five years after Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Principal photography began in May 1989 (via The Raider), two months before Ford turned 46. Filming with the main cast wrapped filming in early August, so Ford is 46 years old in the scenes shot in Venice. However, while Ford is seven years older than he was when he shot Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is set just two years after the first Indy movie, making the archaeologist 39 in the threequel. Nevertheless, Ford looks the same age as he did seven years earlier.

Ford isn't much younger than Sean Connery, who played Indy's father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and it creates an interesting age difference in the Indiana Jones timeline. Connery was born on August 25, 1930, making him 57 years old on the date that principal photography for the third movie began, which means there's a difference of just 12 years between Ford and Connery's real ages. It isn't clear how old Henry Jones Sr. is in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but it's safe to say that there's at least a 25-year age gap between the father and son.

Harrison Ford Is 65 Years Old In The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released in 2008, almost 20 years after Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. While Indy had a perfect ending in the 1989 movie, as he literally rode off into the sunset with his father and his two closest allies, the archaeologist returned for one of the first major legacy sequels of the 21st century. Though it seemed like something that Ford wouldn't typically have any interest in, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was the first of a string of legacy sequels that Ford returned for, but the 2008 release was the most disappointing.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was criticized for everything from the CGI to the introduction of Mutt. However, the movie still saw Ford embracing the character he made iconic, and he was just as stoic, unreadable, and entertaining as ever. Filming began in June 2007 (via LA Times) when Ford was 65 years old, but the shoot continued until October, so the actor is 65 in most of the scenes. The film was seemingly setting up Mutt to become the new face of the franchise, but Ford would prove that he doesn't need to be replaced in the action-adventure series, no matter how old he gets.

Harrison Ford Is 79 Years Old In The Dial Of Destiny

While Harrison Ford was 81 years old when Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was still in theatres, the actor was two years younger when shooting the movie. Principal photography for the film began in June 2021 (via Movie Web), a month before Ford turned 79. However, filming was briefly delayed due to an on-set injury. The 2023 movie's principal photography was by far the longest of any Indiana Jones film too, as filming continued until February 2022. As a result, Ford is 79 in most of the movie's scenes.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ironically begins with a 20-minute flashback scene that takes place in 1938, and Ford is de-aged to look like a late-30s version of himself. Given that Indy would have been 40 years old in 1938, Ford is essentially playing a character half his age in the opening Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny sequence. Most impressively, Ford even performed his own stunts at the age of 79. Unfortunately, that led to one of many Indiana Jones injuries, as the actor damaged his shoulder while rehearsing a fight scene.