Source: The Walt Disney Company | Posted By: Dan Geer

Raiders

It’s official. This is happening – for real this time. After nearly a decade, the fifth Indiana Jones film has officially been green-lit! Steven Spielberg is set to direct, and Harrison Ford will return to the title role once again! Read on for the official press release!

Via The Walt Disney Company:

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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.

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Most of us are more than likely surprised by this news. As the years went on, and pretty much no forward movement was happening in this area, it seemed like we could be waiting another couple of decades before they say, “Hey, let’s do another Indiana Jones movie!” I can hear in my head the voice of Mutt Williams from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull again asking Jones, “What are you, like 80?” – with the age being literal this time around.

But the circumstances are a bit different now. Disney now owns Lucasfilm, and George Lucas isn’t a requirement for getting another story off the ground. Also, I think Disney, Lucasfilm, Spielberg, and Ford all want to make up for Crystal Skull. While I have no reservations saying that I enjoyed the last film, it definitely was not a worthy conclusion to the franchise, and the last act sort of falls apart when they reach Akator (I really enjoyed the first two-thirds of the film).

Harrison Ford will probably be around 75 or 76 when they start filming, and 77 by the time the film is released in 2019. It is probably safe to say that this will be the last go-around for Indy, as I don’t think anyone can imagine Ford still doing this in his 80s. Sure, he’s a healthy guy, and I think we can all believe in a 75 year-old Ford still cracking the whip as Indiana Jones, especially if the character is only supposed to be in his late 60s or something (I’m not exactly sure of his age in any of the films really, so it could be anything). Ford looks younger than he is. But it is hard to imagine an 80 year-old Ford still playing this character.

I personally welcome Ford back to the role, and hopefully this time around they’ll have a proper send-off for Indiana Jones, one that lives up to the series’ reputation. After what Disney pulled off with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I now believe that anything’s possible.

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