Harrison Ford’s name is synonymous with Indiana Jones. Including this month’s release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, he has played the buccaneering archaeologist in 5 films, beginning with Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981. What many people don’t know is that he wasn’t the producer's first choice for the lead. Tom Selleck, famous for his role as private investigator Thomas Magnum on the CBS crime drama Magnum, P.I., was offered the role first but had to turn it down because he had already signed the Magnum P.I. contract and couldn’t get out of it. As for Harrison Ford being the second choice, he’s very grateful that Selleck was unable to take the role. It’s likely his gratitude has a lot to do with the $80.3 million — not including the $25 million he’ll make on the latest installment — he's made on the Indiana Jones film franchise.
How Magnum Almost Became Indiana Jones
Harrison Ford’s name is synonymous with Indiana Jones. Including this month’s release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, he has played the buccaneering archaeologist in 5 films, beginning with Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981. What many people don’t know is that he wasn’t the producer's first choice for the lead. Tom Selleck, famous for his role as private investigator Thomas Magnum on the CBS crime drama Magnum, P.I., was offered the role first but had to turn it down because he had already signed the Magnum P.I. contract and couldn’t get out of it. As for Harrison Ford being the second choice, he’s very grateful that Selleck was unable to take the role. It’s likely his gratitude has a lot to do with the $80.3 million — not including the $25 million he’ll make on the latest installment — he's made on the Indiana Jones film franchise.