Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ Has a Subtle Obi-Wan Reference You May Have Missed
Harrison Ford has the distinction of being known for multiple iconic characters who have taken on a life well beyond the actor’s reach. Not only did the star get the chance to be part of one of the most successful film franchises of all time as Star War’s Han Solo, but he also played the titular character in the popular Indiana Jones franchise.
The two franchises have more in common than a leading man. The work of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas has been a testament to a lifelong friendship built on collaboration, and the pair have left some fun Easter eggs for fans to uncover between the films.
George Lucas and Steven Spielberg have a collaborative friendship
We all know George Lucas as the mind behind the Star Wars franchise. His sprawling legacy of creative endeavors has helped him build a personal net worth of around $7.4 billion, making him one of the most successful people in the entertainment industry.
Steven Spielberg has also had a massively successful career that includes some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster hits. Spielberg has had a hand in films across genres and decades with a wide range of classics like Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan under his directorial belt. His net worth is estimated to be around $7.5 billion.
Spielberg and Lucas have more in common than their mind-boggling net worths. The two men have been friends for a long time, and that friendship has allowed them to collaborate. As The Things reports, there was some early rivalry between the two creative minds: “Spielberg was reportedly blown away when he saw Lucas’ debut film, THX-1138, at a student film festival at UCLA. It made him realize he needed to step up his game.”
There may have been a little jealousy, but there was also respect. It was that mutual admiration that led the men to work together on Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film, which debuted in 1981, would go on to produce several successful sequels and stand as a genre-defining example of a certain kind of family-friendly action flick.
‘The Temple of Doom’ includes an Obi-Wan Easter egg
Having these two creative forces join has opened up the possibility for crossover content that only eagle-eyed fans will spot. One such treat took the form of an Easter egg embedded in The Temple of Doom, the 1984 sequel to the initial Indiana Jones film.
As Tickets 2 U reports, Indiana Jones makes a narrow escape after grabbing the golden idol in the film. As he’s making his way to the riverbank for his dramatic exit, viewers are provided with a wide shot that shows the side of a small plane. On the plane, the letters “OB-CPO” are clearly visible. This is a subtle nod to both the characters Obi-Wan and C3PO from the Star Wars franchise.
Fans are scouting for more references in upcoming ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Indiana Jones’ films
What’s particularly astounding about the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises is that neither is finished — even though both started more than four decades ago. The Star Wars universe continues to expand with sequels, prequels, and deep dives into side characters on the big and small-screen.
Indiana Jones returned to the big screen after a long hiatus in 2008 for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. An upcoming project, as of now, called Indiana Jones 5, is expected to hit theaters sometime in 2022 and will continue the dramatic archaeologist’s long legacy.
These ongoing projects mean that there are even more opportunities for clever references between the two sets of films. Will a prop from the Star Wars set make its way into the background of the new Indiana Jones flick? Could we see a guest character in a Star Wars project with a name that nods to something from the Indiana Jones world? The possibilities are all on the table as Lucas and Spielberg make it clear they’re still having fun with the connections.
