Indiana Jones 5 marks a major change for the iconic action/adventure franchise as it’s the first installment in the series that won’t be helmed by the legendary archaeologist’s two creators. Steven Spielberg was close to directing, before he walked away to be replaced by Logan‘s James Mangold. George Lucas was never invited to work on the script, however, following the disappointing Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. But it seems this is something he’s not happy about.
According to a new rumor, the man behind Star Wars is trying to get more involved with Indy 5. Harrison Ford’s long-awaited return as Dr. Jones is now shooting in England, and Lucas is allegedly pushing to visit the set. The only problem is that it’s said Disney won’t let him, which is causing him to get angry with the studio. This bit of hearsay comes our way via Redditor u/SpideyForever245, who has proven some reliable Disney-related intel in the past, including about Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Falcon and the Winter Soldier cameo.
Though Lucas’ problems with the Star Wars sequel trilogy are well-documented, the studio has always been courteous enough to invite him to the set for productions such as Solo and The Mandalorian. So it’s unclear why he wouldn’t be allowed to do the same for Indy 5. The most obvious suggestion for why he’s not on set is simply because Lucas is based in L.A. and it would be a long way for him to travel just for a quick visit. But apparently there is more friction going on behind the scenes than it appears.
Though Lucas isn’t involved with the film, Indy 5 looks set to further the sci-fi vibe he introduced into the universe with Kingdom. We know the plot will be built around the Space Race of the late 1960s, and this same source claims that Indy himself will travel into outer space. Will fans like this idea or could this be another “nuking the fridge” moment on our hands?
Indiana Jones 5 is headed to theaters in just over a year’s time, on July 28th, 2022.