Kathleen Kennedy says a new Indiana Jones movie is in the cards… One day. “When it will happen, I’m not quite sure,” she told Vanity Fair. “We haven’t started working on a script yet, but we are talking about it.”
Rumor: Does the future of Indiana Jones lay in recasting Indy? Does Lucasfilm already have a name in mind?
As ‘scoops’ go, this seems pretty much a simple conclusion to draw, but for what it’s worth, Latino Review is saying that the Indiana Jones franchise will indeed take a page from James Bond and recast Dr. Jones, as was theorized back in December when the rights issue was settled.
LR is saying while that Harrison Ford may do one more film as the hero, if things don’t move forward by a certain date, they may go forward with a new trilogy – and a new actor – instead.
Bradley Cooper supposedly tops that Lucasfilm wish list. (That’s not a guarantee: I’m sure he’s on a lot of lists these days.) And on the writing end, The Walking Dead’s Frank Darabont – who wrote for the Young Indy series and an early version of Crystal Skull – may have pitched an idea.
UPDATE #1: The folks at Slashfilm say a source tells them that this isn’t true – at least not at the moment.
UPDATE #2: And Frank Marshall weighs in:
Due to the ridiculous rumors that keep popping up, like agents pipe dreams, I will stop commenting on our projects until I have real news.
— Frank Marshall (@LeDoctor) March 26, 2014
Rumor: Modelmakers at Pinewood under contract for 7 years, space booked for Indy 5?
And here’s another from Den of Geek this morning, which at the very least seems/feels slightly more probable than the last one. They report that there’s been a clampdown on the Pinewood prop shop, but that the modelmakers are working on a Millennium Falcon (as frequently reported and possibly proved) and lightsaber hilts. The modelmakers also supposedly have seven-year contracts covering the new trilogy and three spin-offs.
They’re also reporting that the planning office has a listing for an Indiana Jones 5, which wouldn’t be all that surprising giving Disney and Paramount’s announcement regarding the franchise in December.
Rumor: Harrison Ford has deal for Episode VII as moves made towards fifth Indiana Jones film
This morning, Jedi News‘ Jedi Master SQL reports on Lucasfilm’s negotiations with Harrison Ford. A verbal agreement has been in place for him to reprise Han Solo since before the Disney deal, and the financial matters were hammered out over the summer. The sticking points were apparently Ford wanting to see Solo’s development over the full arc of the films – not just Episode VII – and a commitment for another Indiana Jones film. A multi-film deal has now been agreed on.
Ford didn’t get a guarantee for Indy 5, but there will be an outline for the film by the end of 2014, with it going forward for a 2016 release if all parties agree. (Lingering question: Besides Ford himself, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas, as in the past? Or will Lucas – and possibly Spielberg – pass the franchise on to other filmmakers, as has been done with Star Wars?) There are so many questions (Shia LaBouf and his burned bridges?) that if this is anywhere near true, I don’t expect anything Indy to be announced when Ford’s involvement in Episode VII is confirmed. Ford has been very open recently about wanting to play Indiana Jones again, but remember, all this is just rumor at this point.
And yesterday, SQL pointed out that Lucasfilm named two production designers (officially) on Episode VII, a highly unusual move, and maintains that the November 11th, 2015 release date he reported earlier is still the target.
A fifth Indiana Jones? Frank Marshall points to “not happening”
Interviews with producer Frank Marshall seem to indicate that Indiana Jones 5 seemes unlikely to happen. Marshall is likely to be pretty close in the loop on such things, as one of the producers on all four films in the Indiana Jones series and husband to Kathleen Kennedy, fellow Indy producer and recently named to be George Lucas’ successor at Lucasfilm.
Talking with Collider, Marshall responded that there’s no MacGuffin for a fifth film, and that Lucas, who is retiring from the reins at Lucasfilm, isn’t that interested in another flick for the archaeologist:
“Yeah, no he isn’t [hungry to do another Indiana Jones]. And he’s obviously passing the baton to my wife, so.”
Earlier in the week, Marshall told Crave that Lucas wasn’t working on the screenplay to an Indiana Jones film, claiming that a “really good story” is “hard to do”. With Lucas not at the helm of the franchise, does this mean that that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was Indy’s last hurrah? Marshall seems to think so:
“I say, for me, [Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is] the last hurrah.”
Meanwhile, the Blu-ray release of Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures (there’s a fitting title if Marshall’s talk proves correct) comes out September 18.
Lucas still hunting for Indy V MacGuffin
New York Magazine’s Vulture blog caught up with George Lucas at The Adventures of Tintin premiere and learned that despite earlier comments by Steven Spielberg about the movie concept being done, Lucas is still seeking a key plot point for a fifth Indiana Jones film. Lucas said: “but I really haven’t found the MacGuffin yet. I mean, I know what it’s about, but I just have to find a MacGuffin that fits into the arena we’re working in.”
Meanwhile, Spielberg reported to MTV that making a fifth Indy film wouldn’t be made just to prove something to the audience (when compared to general fan reaction that felt that the most recent film, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was a letdown compared to other Indy outings).
Didn’t we just leave this party? Harrison Ford reportedly wants Indiana Jones killed off
According to gossip site ShowbizSpy, Harrison Ford has been lobbying George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to kill off Indy in the next installment of the series.
“Harrison thinks it would be good for Indy to die and pass on his hat to his son in the next one,” reveals an insider.
“George especially is resisting the notion but Steven is considering it. Funnily enough Harrison wanted the same for Han Solo in the final Star Wars but George put an end to it. This time he doesn’t have all the say though.”
Bogus? Maybe. It’s a little too similar to the Han Solo story for me to believe, but I wouldn’t be all that surprised either. (via)
UPDATE: A rep for Ford told the Huffington Post that the report is false. Shocking! Now back to your regularly scheduled whatever.
Indy not headed to Bermuda Triangle for fifth film
Slashfilm reports that Lucasfilm has killed the unsubstantiated speculation on the fifth Indiana Jones film focusing its story on the Bermuda Triangle, with Harrison Ford and Shia LeBeouf teaming up for the main action. (Frank Marshall has also weighed in.)
My best guess is that after Indy’s experience with oil in the Venetian catacombs in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, he now doesn’t want to go anywhere near that BP oil spill.
Sequel rumblings: Indy 5 and Star Trek
While talking to MTV News, Harrsion Ford dished up a little talk about the fifth Indiana Jones film, but doesn’t elaborate much on George Lucas’ “crazy but good” idea for a new adventure, and concedes that his Extraordinary Measures co-star Brendan Fraser would probably have his Rick O’Connell character from The Mummy franchise beat Indiana Jones to the treasure nowadays.
Variety reports that Paramount released that the next Star Trek film will have its release on June 29, 2012. While J. J. Abrams will be producing, no word yet on whether he will be directing, or just adding lens flare effects. John Cho reports to IGN Movies that he’s hoping for some Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan in the sequel, which could either be Star Trek 2, or Star Trek 12 depending on how you count. Meanwhile SciFiWire finds some Trek fans in Seattle use body paint to make Trek uniforms (warning: NSFW). Maybe they could wear some Star Trek wetsuits.
Time for another round of random mentions of Indy 5!
/Film has tidbits of Karen Allen (at Dragon*Con! So weeks ago!) and Harrison Ford talking about the possibility of a fifth Indiana Jones movie.