INDIANA JONES RETURNS IN 2019!

IS THIS GOOD NEWS OR BAD NEWS?

Article by Adam Mast

Once Walt Disney Pictures acquired Lucasfilm, news of upcoming STAR WARS films spread like wildfire. But what about possible future adventures of Indiana Jones? Not but 3 months after THE FORCE AWAKENS shattered box-office records, it looks like we officially have our answer.

Indiana Jones will return to theaters in summer of 2019! And with Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg leading the charge, no less!

For years, we’ve been hearing rumors about a possible new Indiana Jones adventure, even after the less than stellar reactions to KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. For a while, there were stories circulating that Indy’s son Mutt (played by Shia LaBeouf) would take the baton and run with it, but that story was squashed fairly quickly.

In the time since, we’ve heard a plethora of crazier rumors. Everything from the vomit-inducing suggestion that Rob Pattinson would take over the role to the possibility of Bradley Cooper donning the fedora. Just last year, Chris Pratt was the latest name to be thrown into the mix.

Well, you can throw all of that out the window because Lucasfilm is making it official by way of this press release:

SPIELBERG AND FORD REUNITE AS INDIANA JONES RETURNS TO THEATERS JULY 19, 2019

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.

Now obviously, this project is in the very early stages. If Spielberg and Ford are on board though, it stands to reason that a concept is in place.  I’ll be damned if any of us know what that concept is. Might it be a pass the torch movie? Might it tie in to past Jones adventures? Might our beloved Indy finally meet his maker? Your guess is as good as mine.

I’m a huge Indiana Jones fan! HUGE! I’ve seen the first three films well over 100 times each (no, I’m not exaggerating) and I even watched the massively disappointing KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, 5 times. So how does this news sit with me? Honestly, I don’t know how to feel about it.

On the one hand, I like to think that Spielberg and Ford are looking to return so that the franchise doesn’t end on the somewhat sour note that was KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. On the other hand, maybe the iconic team behind this iconic franchise should leave well enough alone.

Having said all of that, it’s happening so here’s hoping that this thing comes together in spectacular fashion. As was the case with the recent STAR WARS entries, it looks like George Lucas will have very little, if nothing, to do with this project.  Who might “The Beard” recruit to pen this new adventure? Personally, I’d like to see either Frank Darabont or Lawrence Kasdan get a crack at it. Or, maybe Spielberg can go back to his early career roots and write this thing himself. Whatever the case may be, we’ll find out soon enough because it looks like this is what Spielberg is jumping into as soon as he wraps on his big screen adaptation of READY PLAYER ONE.

We’ll keep you posted on INDIANA JONES news as it develops. In the meantime, share your thoughts about this news in our comments thread.

About Author

Adam Mast

Adam Mast has been a lifelong film enthusiast dating back to age 6 when his parents took him to see a little movie called JAWS at a drive-in theater in Northern California. This would lead him to several writing stints for various publications and outlets. Mast would also have a hand in several film projects of various shapes and sizes. In 2014, Mast would join forces with colleague John Pugh to create Cinemast.net as a means discuss film from a fan and analytical perspective. Together, Mast and Pugh would also create the 501 (C)(3) nonprofit, Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah (FMASU) in 2017. FMASU’s mission is to encourage, inspire and educate filmmaking talent and to preserve film history. Adam currently resides in southern Utah with his amazing wife, Tonja, and their four wonderful children.

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