Indiana Jones 5 is on-schedule to begin filming in the spring of 2019. The confirmation came from no less a personage than legendary director Steven Spielberg, who has directed every movie in the beloved Indiana Jones franchise to date and is on-board to direct the upcoming fifth film.

A notorious workaholic, Spielberg is one of the most prolific filmmakers in Hollywood and is credited with creating the modern blockbuster. The fifth Indy film is only one of the projects on Spielberg's plate. In addition to Indy 5 and the upcoming film adaptation of the book Ready Player OneSpielberg is said to have begun casting for a new film adaptation of the classic Broadway musical West Side Story.

Related: Every Indiana Jones 5 Update You Need To Know

Spielberg's comments were first reported by Empire Online. The confirmation came during an acceptance speech at the Rakuten TV Empire Awards, where Spielberg was honored for his contributions to the motion picture medium. Spielberg spoke of the strength of the British film industry and how much he enjoyed working with his many collaborators in the United Kingdom.

It’s always worth the trip when I get to work with this deep bench of talent coming out of the UK. The actors, and the crew, the chippies, the sparks, the drivers — everybody who has helped me make my movies here, and will continue helping me make my movies here when I come back in April 2019 to make the fifth Indiana Jones movie right here.”

Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford filming Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Details on the fifth Indiana Jones movie are few and far between, with the new film not having an official title or a plot synopsis. While rumors persist that the story may be taken from the classic Indiana Jones adventure game/comic book Indiana Jones and The Fate of Atlantis, no details of the story have been spilled beyond the fact that Indiana Jones will not be killed off. It's also been confirmed Spielberg's friend and frequent collaborator George Lucas will not be working on the story. Despite earlier reports that the new Indy movie could be a reboot that would place a new actor in Indy's trademark fedora and leather jacket, Harrison Ford is reprising the role for (perhaps) the final time. It was previously reported Spielberg was eying a 2019 start date, and now that's official.

It remains to be seen if Spielberg can once again capture lightning in a bottle with Indiana Jones 5. Most critics and fans of the franchise greeted the fourth Indiana Jones movie, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, with skepticism and scorn. Thankfully, whatever else the fifth Indy movie may hold in store for audiences everywhere, it will not include a return of Shia LaBeouf's character Mutt Williams.

More: Indiana Jones 5 Writer Confirms Shia LaBeouf Won’t Return

Source: Empire Online

Key Release Dates