Rumors of Indiana Jones 5 have been building over the past few months, with Harrison Ford claiming, more than once, he’d like to return to the fedora for a final run. Steven Spielberg has also stated he’s ready to make another run at the franchise, and Lucasfilm is on board. Now, it seems, President of Lucasfilm and producer Kathleen Kennedy has chimed in on the subject. Perhaps Indiana Jones 5 is up next once Star Wars comes and goes.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kennedy seemed optimistic that a new Indiana Jones was headed our way, once The Force Awakens is over and done with:
We’re all trying to figure out when the right time is to step back in. Harrison really wants to do it; Steven really wants to do it. We’ve kicked around a couple of story ideas, but beyond that, I don’t know yet. I think there will be one, we’ll certainly move forward with Indy. But right now, everybody’s just focused on Star Wars.
So by my count, that’s the central character, director, production company, and producer on board for a new Indy. Once Star Wars is released, earns all the money, and Lucasfilm moves on to their next non-Star Wars project, Indy might be back.
But is this a good idea? Last thing I remember, all the intellectual properties of the Indy franchise were involved with The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull, and that was an abhorrent and idiotic fourth film that many have systematically erased from their consciousness. All fans of the franchise consider The Last Crusade the last adventure, and rightly so. Could they turn the franchise around this late in the game? It seems unlikely, and the only hope I can pin anything on is the return of Spielberg, who hasn’t lost his fastball. Sure, he helmed Crystal Skull, but he had George Lucas in his ear, and I picture their relationship similar to Walter and Donny in The Big Lebowski.
Keep George Lucas out of his ear, and perhaps he could get Harrison Ford back on track for Indiana Jones 5. Still, it seems like an uphill battle.
