Tom Selleck

Before Harrison Ford filled the role, George Lucas originally cast Tom Selleck to play Indiana Jones. How would things have gone if it had happened?

Though playing Indiana Jones could have massively boosted Tom Selleck's career, he may not have been able to do the role justice in the way that Harrison Ford ultimately did. Tom Selleck was prevented from taking the role by his contract with CBS, in which he'd signed on to play the lead role in Magnum, P.I., for which Selleck was due to film a pilot. Assuming that Selleck's Indiana Jones was as popular as Ford's, Raiders of the Lost Ark would have been a huge boost to his career. After being offered the role, CBS refused to release Selleck from his contract, forcing him to turn down Raiders of the Lost Ark. Interestingly, shooting was then delayed on the pilot for detective show Magnum, P.I. by a full six months, meaning that Selleck could have in fact filmed both without breaching his contract. The general consensus appears to be that the role is synonymous with Ford and that replacing him would be a mistake. Had Harrison Ford not been cast in Raiders of the Lost Ark - a franchise far from the sci-fi success of Star Wars, he may have also been too associated with Solo to ever truly land another major part. Though Tom Selleck does have underrated movies in his back catalog, he never reached the pinnacle of Hollywood in the way that he once seemed destined to. As Indiana Jones is just one of Harrison Ford's many iconic roles, it would appear that he would have done well in Hollywood regardless of his role in the franchise. Had the character been a more straight-laced action hero, recasting Indiana Jones would likely be an easier task, as the character may not have become quite so synonymous with the actor. Of course, playing Indiana Jones would also have had an incredible impact on Selleck's career. What's more, not playing Jones would also have had a significant impact on Harrison Ford's career, as well as the many ways the change in actors could have changed the Indiana Jones franchise. This version of Jones may not have been quite so popular, either, as the rakish charm of Jones is one of his most beloved qualities, and it's something that wouldn't have been as convincing had it come from Tom Selleck.