Indiana Jones news has been surprisingly forthcoming recently given that the new movie will not release for another three years. Recently The Hollywood Reporter conducted an interview with Disney CEO Bob Iger, in which he described in some detail Disney's plans for the franchise. The excerpts of the interview are as follows:
(Interviewer) You have another Lucasfilm property, Indiana Jones, and Steven Spielberg has agreed to make a fifth film. Will there be an Indiana Jones universe, eventually, like Star Wars?
Iger: Not like Star Wars, no. But we hope … right now, we're focused on a reboot, or a continuum and then a reboot of some sort.
Reboot? You've got Harrison Ford for this movie, and then the presumption is there will be a younger …
Well, we'll bring him back, then we have to figure out what comes next. That's what I mean. It's not really a reboot, it's a boot — a reboot. I don't know.
THR has been using the term "requel" for these sequels that reboot the franchise.
Requel. (Laughs.) We [got] Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in the film. But then what's the direction? I've had discussions about what the direction is, [but] I don't want to get into it.
But you do see making more films?
Yes, I do. I don't think it reaches the scale of the universe of Star Wars, but I see making more. It won't be just a one-off.
There is a lot to unpack here in this interview, as Iger has described his intentions for the future of the franchise. The Indiana Jones series will see a 'soft reboot' it is clear at this point. Disney does not want to end the series with the next film, but continue it possibly with a new lead.
Iger's comments about a 'reboot' and a 'continuum' at the same time would mean that any new reboot would not invalidate the previous Indiana Jones films. It is possible at this point that a future sequel may feature a 'passing of the torch' as Harrison Ford grows too old for a major action film.
In addition, despite Iger's insistence that indiana Jones will not feature a large universe on the scale of Star Wars, there are still plenty of MacGuffins that the films have not yet explored. Indiana Jones could potentially be the inspiration for a new generation of archaeologists as his exploits pass into urban legend as well.
Indiana Jones 5 will release July 19, 2019. The film will feature the return of Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. The movie will also be directed by Steven Spielberg. George Lucas will Executive Produce the film. Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will also return to produce. The film does not currently have a title. Stay tuned to Scified for the latest in Indiana Jones updates!
Source: The HollyWood Reporter