Back when Disney first bought Lucasfilm we were promised not only new Star Wars movies but at least one more Indiana Jones film as well. Back in 2016 we were told that the movie was officially happening, and yet, nothing actually happened with it for a very long time. The project was continually delayed as a parade of writers attempted to find the right story that everybody felt was the right adventure for Indiana Jones. Making the movie take so long that even franchise director Steven Spielberg couldn't wait any longer, and he stepped away, handing the director's chair to James Mangold.
And yet, after all the delays, all the writers, and even multiple directors, it now feels like Indiana Jones 5 may actually be a movie that's going to really happen. A pair of photos from the set of the film surfaced on Reddit, and production is reportedly set to begin next week.
The photos themselves aren't necessarily all that impressive. They just show a lot of construction equipment, and the building of a set that looks like it's set to be part of an old stone building. It's possibly burned out or it could just be black with age. Even the half built building doesn't mean much with zero context, but it's still just really cool to see because the mere existence of these pictures means that the next Indiana Jones movie is finally moving forward. Not just moving forward but about to actually go into production.
The current release date for Indiana Jones 5 is July of 2022, so a production start around now is to be expected, and the movie certainly has been taking positive steps in recent weeks, as both Mads Mikkelsen and Phoebe Waller-Bridge have been cast in undisclosed roles. Thomas Kretschmann, and Boyd Holbrook have also been cast, but it's anybody's guess how any of them will actually play into the film.
It's also anybody's guess how Indiana Jones will actually play into the film. Harrison Ford is 78 years old, he'll be 79 in about six weeks and 80 when this movie actually comes out. He's in perfectly good shape, even great shape for his age, but who knows how much we can really expect Ford to actually do when it comes to the traditional Indiana Jones action.
Will this be the final adventure for Indiana Jones? Could there be some sort of passing of the torch to a new hero who will take the the franchise in a new direction with new adventures? These are the big questions for which we very much are without answers. For most, however, it will be enough that the man in the hat is back. We will see Indiana Jones again, and with filming getting underway soon, we may finally begin to learn what this new adventure will be.
