Call him a grave robber or call him a liberator of rare antiquities, but certainly call Indiana Jones one of the most iconic characters in movie history. And in an interview for Vanity Fair, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy vowed the character will return for a fifth film in the Indiana Jones franchise.
Disney’s 2012 purchase of Lucasilm gave them rights to more than what existed “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away”, and Kennedy went on to discuss the additional properties gained through that deal.
“In buying the company, Disney also got rights, for better or worse, to less-storied Lucasfilm properties, among them Willow and Radioland Murders. A bigger prize is the Indiana Jones franchise.”
Kennedy did voice uncertainty as to how soon Indy will reappear on the big screen, stating, “When it will happen, I’m not quite sure. We haven’t started working on a script yet, but we are talking about it”.
Once a script is in the works, there are two big questions that will need to be answered. The first one being about who will be chosen wield the whip and wear the fedora. The second will be about who is chosen to direct.
It’s been rumored that Chris Pratt is the man being sought by the studio to take up the mantle of Indiana Jones. If Pratt is cast in the role, it could quickly wrap up the directorial question. Steven Spielberg has stated that, given the chance, he would love the opportunity to direct Pratt in the role. This would be great for the series, since Pratt has shown he has the adventurer swagger and Spielberg would help maintain the stylistic elements of the franchise.
It’s definitely good news that Indy is returning to the big screen, but many fans will likely reserve their enthusiasm for mews about the script, who will star, and who will direct.