When last we heard any talk aboutIndiana Jones 5, the rumor was that Disney and directorSteven SpielbergwantedChris Prattto take over forHarrison Fordas the iconicarcheologistandadventurer. The film series was always envisioned as a James Bond type serial that would see a different actor picking up the mantel every couple of years. And whenDisney bought Lucasfilm, it seemed as though they were intent on rebooting the property. Maybe that’s not true. This weekend, while promoting his latest filmBridge of Spies, Steven Spielberg claimed that he wants to makeIndiana Jones 5with Harrison Ford, bringing forth one more true sequel.
Development on a newIndiana Jonesmovie has stalled as Disney gets its version of the Star Wars series off the ground. In December, we will getStar Wars: The Force Awakens, the first live-action Star Wars movie in over ten years. Once the new trilogy and the Legacy spinoffs have proven able to pull in strong audiences, then Disney and Lucasfilm will set their fixed gaze upon the man in the hat, with the whip. But it has never been confirmed which direction the production will head. Will it be a true sequel? Or are they going to reboot the franchise? If they intend to do a prequel with a much youngHenry Jones, Jr., it wouldn’t be the first time another actor has portrayed the character.Sean Patrick Flaneryplayed Indy in the weekly TV seriesThe Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, which launched in 1992.
Steven Spielberg joked withYahoo! Moviesthat Harrison Ford andTom Hankswere tied in terms of the number of movies he’s made with each actor. ButIndiana Jones 5will change that, givingForda leg up with 5 movies, all set in this particular franchise. Thus far,Tom Hankshas only starred in four Steven Spielberg movies, starting with the 1998 classicSaving Private Ryan, followed by 2002’sCatch Me If You Can, 2004’sThe Terminaland this month’sBridge of Spies. But Steven Spielberg will rectify it so they stay tied.
“Now, I’ll probably do anIndy 5with Harrison, [so] it’ll be five for Harrison, four for Tom…I’ve got to make another one with Tom, that’ll be five for Tom, five for Harrison. And I think I’m going to leapfrog that way for the rest of my career. With Daniel Day-Lewis in everything else!”
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skullarrived in May 2008, at which time Harrison Ford was 65 years-old. He’s now 73, but age hasn’t stopped him. He will reprise his role as former smuggler and space pirate Han Solo inStar Wars: The Force Awakensthis Christmas. But even then, he was starting to show his age inIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. While perhaps the story of a 73 year-old Han Solo will make sense, some believe he is simply too old to be doing his own stunts for the action-heavy Indiana Jones franchise. That said, he is also returning for theUntitled Blade Runner Project, which shoots next year, so perhaps he’s not ready to retire as Indy quite yet.
When Disney chairman Alan Horn last spoke of the sequel, he confirmed that there was no story in place quite yet. And whileGeorge Lucashas been responsible for the main story outline of the past four movies, establishing the ‘McGuffin’ (i.e. the artifact that Indy is chasing) in each installment, it isn’t known if he’ll return to collaborate on the sequel/reboot. Kathleen Kennedy has confirmed thatIndiana Jones 5will happen at some point in the future, but who knows if it will be before the end of this decade. If Harrison Ford does return, he might be 80 by the time the next sequel begins shooting. What do you think? Do you want to see a true sequel? Or should someone else step in to replace Harrison Ford?
