It’s been a while since Harrison Ford has been a part of a truly entertaining movie… over a decade in fact. But if recent rumors and Twitter confirmations are true, Ford may just be appearing in one of the more fun-sounding films scheduled for release in 2011.
Latino Review were the first to connect the dots when they reported a few days ago that Ford would be joining Jon Favreau’s adaptation of Cowboys & Aliens. They acknowledged at the time that the news had to be labeled a “rumor” but today confirmation came from what should be a pretty reliable source… Favreau’s Twitter account. “Please stop asking if Harrison Ford is in Cowboys & Aliens. Okay? He is. Please don’t tell anybody.”
Cowboys & Aliens is based on a comic created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg that finds an alien race invading Earth in the 1800’s. Their plan to dominate the planet starting with the United States runs into some resistance when gun-toting cowboys and bow-strumming Apache Indians join forces to defeat the interstellar scourge. It’s a goofy idea, but Favreau has proven himself capable of turning high concepts into fun films.
Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde are already attached, but the addition of Ford makes the whole project even more intriguing. Ford hasn’t been in a really fun flick since 1997’s Air Force One (note I said “fun” not “great”). Instead he’s kept himself busy with generic thrillers (Firewall) and misguided dramas (Extraordinary Measures) when what he should have been doing all along is to look for supporting roles in interesting movies from all types of genres. The specifics of his role haven’t been identified yet, but the odds are Ford will shooting first and smirking later. Even with a decade of cinematic missteps behind him Ford is still one of my favorite actors, and with any hope he’ll play the hell out of whatever role he’s taking here.
Cowboys & Aliens is scheduled to hit theaters on July 29th, 2011.
Related Topics: Harrison Ford, Jon Favreau
