To cut to the chase, Chris Pratt shouldn't take on the role. Now it's no secret that I adore the guy; throughout 2014 I thoroughly enjoyed his performances in Her, The LEGO Movie and Guardians of the Galaxy whilst I got to see how he got these roles whilst binge-watching the first six seasons of Parks and Recreation. Heck, I even gave him a Best Actor nomination in my personal Best of 2014 list. My problem isn't that he doesn't deserve the role, it's that he doesn't need it. Not only is he now in two new franchises based around his own character, but this year he's entering the rejuvenation of the classic Jurassic Park series with its upcoming fourth instalment which he headlines. He also has another comic book adaptation in the form of Cowboy Ninja Viking as the main star, and also in a remake of Western classic The Magnificent Seven. He was also in talks for a Knight Rider and Ghostbusters reboot, but those have seemingly fallen through (clearly the Ghostbusters one has), and now he may headline a reboot of one of the most well-regarded trilogies (and Crystal Skull) of all time? It's over-saturation to the point that it could severely damaged the upcoming sequels to LEGO and Guardians, the very films that put him in the public eye in the first place.
You also have to place in mind just how much of an effect Harrison Ford has on the original role. For most, he is known for the infamous role of the fedora-wearing adventurer, and probably would be his only major role if it weren't for his involvement in the original Star Wars trilogy and upcoming new set - which may feature a standalone spin-off. It's understandable why Disney would want to bring the series back to the public eye and do a complete new take on the character, especially when considering the attempts to pass the torch over to one-time Hollywood hotshot Shia LaBouef failed drastically in 2008's Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (it probably didn't help that he was in Transformers a year earlier) and have since been revoked by the general public. If they couldn't handle someone within that same universe taking on that role, how would they react to a complete new take on those stories? Short answer: horribly.
Of course, there is the argument that Pratt looks the part, helped immensely by that single photoshopped image that's splashed upon every news site telling the story. Heck, even I've used it, because it's a pretty darn good picture. He does look the part and may very well be good in the role, and his role as Star-Lord in Marvel Studios' newest franchise being compared to Ford's own roles as Han Solo and Indiana Jones which does help sell his role even more. But just because he's good in that type of role doesn't mean he needs to do the role. He's already doing the role, and will likely do it again later this year in Jurassic World. He doesn't need to do the role again, otherwise he really will become America's answer to Benedict Cumberbatch, who I've already vocalised about doing his Sherlock shtick over and over again.
My advice? Don't reboot Indiana Jones. Leave the character be unless Ford really wants to return (which is unlikely due to his age) and there's a strong enough screenplay, and let Pratt stick to more open roles in both independent films and blockbusters to show just how good of an actor he can be. He's let Andy Dwyer dwell into Emmet Brickowski for The LEGO Movie and it worked excellently, and now he's channelling Star Lord into his upcoming big screen escapades. He mustn't forget to keep to his indie roots in films like Her and other small films, because if he pushes them forward like he is with his big-budget films it could make him all the more esteemed as an actor. Don't play it safe.
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