Harrison Ford can't escape old roles

Ford made his second appearance at the all-things-geek gathering in the US on Thursday to promote his new film, Ender's Game.

But fans instead peppered the 71-year-old with questions about characters he left behind long ago.

One fan asked what might happen if Solo, the Millenium Falcon pilot from Star Wars, met Jones, the adventure-addicted archaeologist.

"Hi, how are you?" Ford asked before shaking his head, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes in a marvellous moment of comedic timing.

Another questioner, a man from Brazil who said he dreamed of being the whip-wielding Jones as a kid, asked if Solo would make a good soldier for Col. Hyrum Graff, the character Ford plays in Ender's Game.

"You know, you and I have a lot in common. I used to dream about being Indiana Jones when I was younger. Not so much anymore," Ford said, pausing while the audience laughed.

"I don't think Han Solo would be good as a soldier in anybody's army. I think he's what we call now an independent contractor."