Last month, Steven Spielberg hinted at making a fifth Indiana Jones film, and this week, Harrison Ford publicly said he would like to return to the role one more time. So, we’ve got to wonder, will there be an Indiana Jones 5?
Would another sequel be any good?
Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Temple Of Doom and The Last Crusade were all some of the greatest adventure movies of all time, so if a fifth film came along with the same team that directed, produced and wrote those original films, who’s to say it wouldn’t be any good?
Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford have both expressed interest in making another film, and there would of course be huge fan support behind a new project as well as a massive financial boost from Lucasfilm owners Disney, so it’s not outside the realms of possibility.
In all honesty, it depends on the reception of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We know it will make a lot of money, but if it’s not actually that good, then it’s likely that a new direct sequel for Indiana Jones would be dropped.
If Ford comes back, will Karen Allen return?
One of the brightest parts of the entire Indiana Jones series was his sidekick Marion Ravenwood, played by Karen Allen in Raiders Of The Lost Ark and Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull.
Arguably a better female lead than Princess Leia, Marion was a tough, wise-cracking woman who was a heap of fun to watch get involved in all of Indy’s escapades, and Karen Allen had such brilliant on-screen chemistry with Harrison Ford that it made her shine even more.
However, following Indiana Jones and Marion’s marriage at the end of the fourth movie, it’s unlikely an even more elderly Marion will want to venture out on another huge adventure, and would probably serve as the emotional attachment for Indy back home if she were to make any appearance.
But surely Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull ruined the franchise?
When the fourth film, Kingdom of The Crystal Skull, was released in 2008, hearts were shattered across the globe in almost similar fashion to The Phantom Menace.
It wasn’t only the fact that it had a preposterous story involving aliens and a Ukranian Cate Blanchett, but it really didn’t have the magic of the original trilogy. The first three films were tributes to the adventure serials of the 1930s, and featured basically no CGI of any kind, so when Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull assaulted your eyes with computer-generated madness, it wasn’t taken to kindly.
Also, Indiana Jones was just a bit too old in the fourth film to be the main hero. If they could re-evaluate Indy’s role to be something similar to Han Solo in The Force Awakens, i.e. a wise guide who would pass on his knowledge to a younger generation, that might work, but if they’re thinking of anything like Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull again, the franchise will die on its feet.
Could it just be a straight reboot?
And this is where arguably the most popular school of thought comes into play. Rather than continue the series on with a now 73 year old Harrison Ford, Disney and Lucasfilm could begin again with a new lead actor.
Although many fans have protested the idea of a reboot, saying it would cheapen the originals, this is the most likely option for Indiana Jones 5, where they would delve into a world of new adventures with a younger Indiana Jones back in the 1930s, where Indy would fight Nazis once again just like he should.
That then brings us to the eternal question of who should play a new Indiana Jones. Most people think Chris Pratt would suit the role best, and it’s hard to argue against that, given his excellent comedic value as well as his action movie chops shown in Guardians Of The Galaxy and Jurassic World.
Another potential source for a new Indy could come from who ends up playing young Han Solo (you can read a potential shortlist here). Solo and Jones have got similar personalities, and are of a similar age, so who’s to say that they couldn’t cast the same actor in both roles just like Harrison Ford?
To be honest, we still know nothing about Indiana Jones 5, and if there isn’t enough support, it probably won’t happen. If, however, people warm to the idea of a reboot or a Force Awakens-ish changing of the guard, then it’s a real possibility, and one I’m sure we’d all love to see.
