Wednesday night saw the U.S. premiere of the long-awaited Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The special event saw, of course, the stars of the new movie, like Harrison Ford, making appearances. Other members of the Indiana Jones family, like Short Round himself Ke Huy Quan, also appeared. But while some of those who have been part of Indiana Jones history were not as recognizable, even members of the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular from Disney’s Hollywood Studios were there.
The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular opened in August 1989, less than four months after the park, then called Disney/MGM Studios, opened to the public. The show has been in almost continuous operation since that day, though it saw a prolonged closure following the pandemic. For many, the stunt show is as much a part of Indiana Jones as any of the films, and the actor who first played Indy when the show opened and is still part of it today, Keven Brassard, was at the premiere alongside Michelle Waitman who played Marion early in her career as a stunt performer.
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The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular opens with a stage version of the classic boulder chase scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark before the director yells “cut” and the audience is given the impression they're watching an Indiana Jones movie being filmed, but with stunt doubles rather than the main actors. Several other action-heavy sequences from Raiders are reenacted with a focus on the stunt work.
It’s pretty awesome that some of the team from the stunt show was able to attend the premiere, including Brassard, who has been part of that show for over 30 years. There are people who have grown up with the show and probably introduced their kids to it, in the same way that fans have grown up with Harrison Ford as Indy on the big screen.
The future of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular has been in doubt on more than one occasion. Considering that it’s very nearly an opening day attraction, and almost nothing from the opening of the park, including the name, remains today, fans have often wondered if we might see the Indiana Jones show closed and replaced, but so far that hasn’t happened. The stunt show is one of the last pieces of the park that used to be about making movies but is now more focused on attractions that bring them to life.
Of course, there have also been rumors now and then that Indiana Jones may become an even bigger part of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. A mini-land dedicated to Indy was rumored not that long ago. Nothing has come of it yet, but with a new movie on deck that could change. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny being a massive hit would not guarantee more Indy in the parks, but it would certainly increase those odds.
