Steven Spielberg reveals Harrison Ford turned down the lead in Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg says he tried to recruit Harrison Ford to lead Jurassic Park — and was crushed when the star passed.
Ever looked at Jurassic Park and thought, 'Hang on, is that Dr Grant or a rogue Indiana Jones?' Well, believe it or not, we apparently could have had Indiana himself – Harrison Ford – heading up the dino safari. Yep, Steven Spielberg originally wanted Ford to play Dr Alan Grant. Just imagine the hat confusion.
Who Was Nearly Digging Up Dinosaurs?
Steven Spielberg recently let slip – over on the Happy Sad Confused podcast – that he went after Harrison Ford for the now-iconic role. In his own words:
"Yes, he did [turn it down], he may not remember that, but I sure do. I wasn't cross, I was crushed, but then Sam Neill became available and he's Alan Grant. It now belongs to him."
So Spielberg wasn't angry, just quietly devastated. Fair play, though, because it only took a few years after Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – probably Ford thought 'I’ve had enough of running through ancient tunnels, thanks.' You do have to admit, Sam Neill now is Dr Grant, and Ford in that role would have definitely been... different. A lot more grumbling, possibly.
Spielberg’s Latest: Disclosure Day
While we’re on the subject of Spielberg, his newest film, Disclosure Day, is making the rounds. This one’s all about the unveiling of extraterrestrial life and those desperate to keep it quiet. Early reactions have been glowing overall, but not everyone’s entirely convinced.
- Chris Bumbray found the movie a "mixed bag – very worth seeing" with some dodgy moments (think ‘Shia LaBeouf swinging on a jungle vine’, which is Spielberg’s own cinematic haunted house). The film is long – 140 minutes of Spielberg, in fact – and, yeah, there are a few eye-rolling plot points. But momentum? Still got it. And apparently, it’s made with genuine heart, which is rarer than you’d hope in blockbusters these days.
- Michael Conway, on the other hand, was quite keen. He’s quick to point out a few shonky visual effects and the runtime, but says it’s also full of classic Spielberg magic – thrilling, emotional, strange, funny. Basically, the director’s still got a few tricks up his sleeve.
If you want the blow-by-blow, both reviews are floating around online. Curious to see where it lands for you.