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Thirty years ago on Sunday (June 12), Harrison Ford's most most iconic character, Indiana Jones, made his debut in 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
The role put him on the map. Or more on the map since he was an integral part of the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Ford ended up reprising the Jones role three times -- in 1984, 1989 and 2008.
And, stay tuned Indy fans, because Ford (now 68) may be making a fifth appearance as Jones. According to Shia LaBeouf, who co-starred with Jones in "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," Ford recently hinted that he's staying in shape because he fully expects a call from George Lucas.
"I talked to [Harrison Ford]," LaBeouf tells MTV News. "He said he's staying in the gym, he said he's heard no word, but he does know that [George Lucas] is out there looking for a MacGuffin. He said he's staying in the gym, so it means [the movie is] not so far off."
In "Raiders of the Lost Ark," Ford played Indiana Jones, a mild-mannered archaeology professor who -- for kicks -- took a sabbatical to save the Ark of the Covenant from falling into Nazi hands. The character had swagger to spare and more than a little skill with a whip. He was smart, funny, vulnerable and -- at times -- a total idiot. We loved him.
The movie was a watershed moment for director Steven Spielberg, whose previous movie -- "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" -- was respected, but hardly a cultural phenomenon. Spielberg teamed with "Star Wars" creator George Lucas to rekindle the genre of adventure serials, a staple of their cinema-going youth. Hence the big-time music score, the map with dotted lines tracking the action as Jones ping-ponged around the globe and, of course, the larger-than-life premise.
It worked. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" was a smash hit at the box office and snagged a Best Director Oscar for Spielberg.
What do you think? Are you up for a fifth "Indiana Jones" installment or should we all just rent the classic "Raiders?"
