Indiana Jones 5 starts filming in 2 months, according to Harrison Ford. The action-adventure series has been an enormous success since launching Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 - a film that helped Ford become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
Though the series eventually paired the creative genius of both Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, Dr. Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones Jr. was originally the brainchild of Lucas. The Star Wars creator was eager to create a character that was influenced by the pulp magazines and matinee serials that he enjoyed as a child. As a professor of archaeology, Jones was a true hero in the classic sense, and his constant journeys around the globe in search of priceless artifacts placed him in continuous danger. Ford took on the role just as Star Wars mania (and his role as Han Solo) was truly kicking off, and to this day, Spielberg’s opening Raiders of the Lost Ark sequence remains a textbook example of how to completely win an audience over within the initial opening minutes of a film. The monster box office success of Raiders meant another film was in the cards and since then, there have been three more installments, with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull having arrived most recently, in 2008.
The reception to Crystal Skull was mixed, with some fans absolutely loving its aged protagonist often struggling to find his way in a new era. Others, however, felt the entire spectacle was excessive, and that Spielberg, Lucas and Ford should have called it quits with 1989’s Last Crusade. Whatever the consensus may be, Indiana Jones is indeed returning to the big screen for a fifth time, though for those fans who are excited by the prospect of more from the franchise, the wait has been a frustrating one. Thankfully, things appear to be moving along smoothly now, and during a recent interview with CBS, the 77-year-old Ford revealed that shooting on Indiana Jones 5 will commence “in about two months”:
Clearly this is excellent news, though it still leaves fans in the dark on many things. For starters, there’s still no known title for the upcoming installment, and aside from the return of Ford as Indiana Jones, no casting news has emerged. We do, however, know that despite its ongoing stream of delays, the film is still set to release theatrically on July 9, 2021. Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy has also previously assured fans that the new film will not be a reboot and that it will continue on with what’s come before in the series. Exactly what this means for the character remains to be seen, but the internet continues to buzz with rumors and conjecture regarding potential scenarios. Given that Indiana Jones 5 will not be the final film in the franchise and that Ford will be 78 when it releases, many feel it’s unlikely that the star will continue to tackle Indiana Jones’ adventures into his 80s.
Exactly how Spielberg and Lucas will handle the eponymous character’s return remains to be seen, but this very well could be the film where fans see Ford pass the famed archaeologist’s crown on to another. It’s this sort of possibility that makes some Indiana Jones fans nervous. Rather than leave things as they were, Disney has decided to move forward on a franchise that would feel entirely different without Ford. And with the mediocrity of Crystal Skull still rankling some fans, it’s safe to say that Indiana Jones 5 has a lot to prove when it finally does arrive.
Source: CBS
