While opinions are probably still divided on whether Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was a 2023 movie release schedule triumph or an absolute flop, there are some things we can all agree on. One of those very subjects would probably be how we all wish Ke Huy Quan’s Short Round had returned to team up with Harrison Ford’s embattled archeologist one last time.
Well, thanks to a piece of concept art, the boys are back and fighting zombies in a movie I really would have loved to see happen. ILM concept artist Saby Menyhei recently shared a “personal piece” to Instagram, through which we now know what this hypothetical Indiana Jones sequel could have looked like. Try not to fall too hard for the full piece, as well as two closes ups of Indy and Short Round in action, included below:
Look at that fortune and glory, kids. Seeing Indy with a raised fist and a glowing staff, beside Short Round high-kicking a zombie away from his person, is a concept we could all get behind. You can practically hear John Williams’ Indiana Jones theme music looking at this picture too, and that’s regardless of where your personal Indiana Jones movie ranking puts this much-maligned prequel.
Storywise, Indy and Short Round’s reunion almost 40 years after Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom would have made so much sense. Both men would have been very different from the last time they’d met, and watching them learn that fact would have been great ground for some classic comedy. Also, any plot device that could technically help sidestep the horrific off-screen fate of Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt detailed in Dial of Destiny would have been exceedingly welcomed.
At the same time, Ke Huy Quan’s reaction to his fans wanting him to return in Indiana Jones 5 says it all. His trepidation in potentially disappointing his fans shows that despite heartfelt reunions with Harrison Ford, being asked back for another ride would have been a difficult decision. And as anyone invested in pop culture icons such as this franchise knows, that’s an obstacle that even the most penitent person would have a hard time passing.
Still, looking at this Indiana Jones art inspires visions of what could have been. Much like the hidden treasures of antiquity, images such as this can only suggest what we aren’t there to see. Thankfully, this Indiana Jones/Short Round fan art won’t cause anyone to melt away or age rapidly upon looking at it. However, it may inspire a sense of longing similar to Indy’s big Dial of Destiny decision, and with just as much of a need to return to reality before it’s too late.
Which is as good a time as any to remind you folks at home that the entire Indiana Jones saga, including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, is currently streaming in one place. So feel free to seek out all the fortune, glory and snakes you want via your access to a Disney+ subscription.