To re-boot or not reboot? Disney officially put that question to rest today announcing both star Harrison Ford and director Steven Spielberg will return for the fifth big screen Indiana Jones adventure set for release on July 19. 2019.
George Lucas, who co-created the iconic fortune and glorty-seeking archeoligist, will not be involved according to Deadline. In addition to Star Wars, Disney also acquired the rights to the Indiana Jones franchise with the purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012.
Here is the official statement from the House of Mouse:
Indiana Jones will return to the big screen on July 19, 2019, for a fifth epic adventure in the blockbuster series. Steven Spielberg, who directed all four previous films, will helm the as-yet-untitled project with star Harrison Ford reprising his iconic role. Franchise veterans Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will produce.
“Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history, and we can’t wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019,” said Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “It’s rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn’t be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven.”
Famed archaeologist and explorer Indiana Jones was introduced in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark – one of AFI’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time – and later thrilled audiences in 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The four films have brought in nearly $2 billion at the global box office.
Obviously Harrison Ford has a good working relationship with Disney after starring in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and has never said never to returning for a fifth Indiana Jones film.
Chris Pratt has been repeatedly rumored to inherit the fedora and whip from Ford, but whether the next film in the franchise would be a complete reboot or a passing of the torch with Ford on board was never explicitly confirmed until today’s announcement.
The previous entry in the series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was released in 2008 on Memorial Day Weekend and despite a cold reception from fans, scored over $780 million in world wide ticket sales.
There are no further official details to report at this point. But let’s not expect a windfall of new announcements in the immediate future since the film is over three years away (and Harrison Ford will be 77 years old).
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