Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford Will Reunite for ‘Indiana Jones 5’!
“There is only going to be one actor playing Indiana Jones and that’s Harrison Ford.”
Those were the words of Steven Spielberg late last year, talking about the persistent rumors of a fifth Indiana Jones film and the recent whispers that if such a movie happened it might be a young actor (say, Chris Pratt) taking over the role of Dr. Henry Jones Jr. from Harrison Ford, who played Indy in four previous and hugely successful adventure films. Around the same time, Spielberg also hinted at a fifth Indiana Jones with Ford on the press tour for Bridge of Spies.
Well, when Steven Spielberg says something, you best believe him.
The hints have been dropping for months, and now it’s official: Indiana Jones 5 is officially a go, with Spielberg aboard to crack the whip on Harrison Ford, who returns to his one of his signature roles. From the press release:
Indiana Jones will return to the big screen on July 19, 2019, for a fifth epic adventure in the blockbuster series. Steven Spielberg, who directed all four previous films, will helm the as-yet-untitled project with star Harrison Ford reprising his iconic role. Franchise veterans Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will produce.
“Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history, and we can’t wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019,” said Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “It’s rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn’t be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven.”
The press release also notes that the four Indiana Jones movies to date have brought in “nearly $2 billion at the global box office.” It doesn’t note, however, whether longtime Indy producer George Lucas will be involved in any fashion. Nor does it say whether Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt Williams (who, SPOILER ALERT, is actually Indy’s son) will be back to swing on vines with monkeys and stuff. (No offense Shia, but we hope not.)
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was not particularly well-received when it opened in 2008, and Ford was already getting up there in age back then. By the time the fifth Indy hits theaters, he’ll be 77. But Ford’s riding a huge wave of good will thanks to his return to the Star Wars franchise; maybe he and Spielberg can strike gold one more time. Hopefully this time out Indy is just looking for artifacts and doesn’t seem like one himself.
Indiana Jones and the Title to Be Determined Later opens in theaters on July 19, 2019.