The whip-cracking archaeologist might be one of the most iconic figures in the history of popular culture, but you could make the argument nonetheless that we don’t really need Indiana Jones 5. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull remains among the more divisive blockbusters of the modern era, with the mere mention of the misguided fourth installment enough to send many longtime fans into a fit of apoplectic rage.
Still, once Disney assumed control of Lucasfilm, it seemed inevitable that a new Indy would soon enter development, based on the Mouse House’s rampant desire to wring every last shred of earning potential from their marquee brands. The most recent Star Wars movies generated a level of backlash the franchise had never seen before, though, which hasn’t exactly set an encouraging precedent.
It also doesn’t help that Indiana Jones 5 has languished in development hell, with nobody being able to agree on the direction of the script, as another cavalcade of writers have become involved. Then there’s the lack of Steven Spielberg at the helm, and while James Mangold is an accomplished filmmaker in his own right, someone else taking the reins of the series just feels wrong.
Although it hasn’t been made official yet, the chances of Indiana Jones 5 arriving in July 2022 as scheduled are virtually nonexistent, meaning Harrison Ford will be 80 years old at the very least by the time the movie hits theaters. There were rumors making the rounds a while back that the role could be recast as well, but producer Frank Marshal has now reaffirmed that there’s only ever going to be one Indy.
“We are working on the script. There will only be one Indiana Jones and that’s Harrison Ford. What I’m excited about with Jim is a great story. I think you see that in his movies like Ford vs Ferrari. It’s all about characters and telling a good story. So I’m excited to see what he comes up with. I haven’t seen the script yet, so I don’t know what to tell you.”
Indiana Jones 5 is obviously going to pull in massive numbers at the box office based on the enduring popularity of the franchise, but after Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, fans are going to be a lot more wary this time around and temper their expectations accordingly.