When The Fountain of Youth premieres on the 2025 movie schedule, I have a feeling a bunch of people are going to feel nostalgia for the adventure films they grew up on. So, with that in mind, I asked the film's stars, John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Domhnall Gleeson and Eiza González, about the most formative films from this genre. While Indiana Jones was their most common answer, the Baby Driver actress provided a solid reason for why we should add Disney movies to this list, too.
Indiana Jones Was The Common Response When I Asked About Formative Adventure Films
Growing up, adventure films like National Treasure defined my childhood, and Guy Ritchie’s The Fountain of Youth feels like it could do the same thing for a new generation. So, when I interviewed John Krasinski and Natalie Portman, who play siblings in this movie that will be streaming on Apple TV+ very soon, I asked them about the formative action/adventure films from their childhood.
The Office actor was quick to answer with some of the best action movies ever, saying:
For me, it was Indiana Jones and Goonies and things like that. It was anything Steven Spielberg, really. But yeah, I think for me, this was what made me want to get in the business. It's that thing of you just wish you could be transported to these places and be with these people. And so to actually be in a movie that I pretended to be in when I was a kid is totally surreal.
Portman replied by saying she “couldn’t agree more” with her co-star. Like The Fountain of Youth, both Indiana Jones and The Goonies tell the stories of epic adventures and fearless heroes.
Indiana Jones turned out to be the most common film to come up among this cast, too, when asked this question. That’s because, not only did Krasinski mention it and Portman agree with him, but Domhnall Gleeson also told me:
We’ve talked a lot about Indiana Jones, which is absolutely one of the ones; I was just in love with the movie, the sense of the whole thing and their performances. And maybe, like, something like Jurassic Park. I was just a little bit into my, I guess, teens at that point. I just thought it was incredible. So, yeah, maybe those two.
Truly, when I think of classic adventure films, I picture Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones first, then the dinosaurs from Jurassic Park, those kiddos in The Goonies, and Nicolas Cage stealing The Declaration of Independence in National Treasure. However, those are all notably live-action films, and Eiza González told me why some animated classics need to be included here, too.
However, Eiza González Made A Great Point About Disney Movies
As I mentioned, when I asked this question to Eiza González, she took the road less traveled with her answer. While she mentioned live-action gems like The Mummy and Tomb Raider, she also noted that what makes an adventure movie an adventure movie is a story about friends who go on a journey and learn something about themselves and the world along the way. Therefore, we have to include some of the best Disney animated classics on this list, too, as she said:
For me also, we think of, like, big, you know, The Mummy and Tomb Raider. I think Thomas Crown Affair is an amazing adventure movie as well, while being a romance movie. But we can't forget about Disney. Aladdin is an amazing adventure movie. Or The Lion King is an adventure movie. Anything that is like, go with your pals, find a meaning of the greater good. And, I mean, Disney does that a lot. And so I grew up on those, for sure.
Truly, Aladdin, The Lion King and so many other animated films are also wonderful adventure flicks, and as González said, they fit into this category of formative film.
For generations, these flicks have been watched by kids as they’ve grown up, and like Indiana Jones, they show us some truly epic and inspiring tales.
So, when you think back on all the magical adventure movies that defined your childhood, don’t just think live-action. Get those Disney movies in there too, and then let that reflection lead to a rewatch, I mean, all those animated flicks mentioned and the Indiana Jones movies are available with a Disney+ subscription.
Then, on May 23, make sure to use your Apple TV+ subscription to tune in for The Fountain of Youth, an epic brand-new adventure film that all the actors mentioned are a part of.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
