Harrison Ford Updates 'Indiana Jones 5'

"A germ of an idea." That's what Harrison Ford now says exists for the fifth Indiana Jones movie, one that has been steadily discussed over the past 18 months or more. Talking to the BBC, Ford cautioned fans that the movie is still miles from being ready to go. "The process works like this: We come to some basic agreement and then [George Lucas] goes away for a long time and works on it. Then [Steven Spielberg] and I get it in some form, some embryonic form. Then if we like it we start working with George on it and at some point down the line it's ready and we do it." The germ of an idea is phase one, so Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford have agreed on what the film should be, at least at a very fundamental level. There is no passing of the hat, though, which a lot of people thought the fourth movie would be for, especially given the way it ended. But Indy will be back, and I suspect Mutt Williams-Jones or whatever they call him will be included. No ant hills this time and no aliens. That's all I ask. You really need to base the timetable on Spielberg's schedule; he's the busiest guy in the room, generally speaking. I would be very surprised if this happened prior to 2013, though. A 2012 release would mean shooting summer/fall 2011, and that may be possible, but Spielberg has a few other irons in the fire (Tintin being chief among them), so I think it's more likely that the development could start in a year, a year-and-a-half, with shooting down the line from that. Ford will be 70 in 2012, and 2013 would be five years after Indy 4. Would people still buy it? I think they would, and I'll use not only the box office from the fourth movie as evidence but also Clint Eastwood, whose Gran Torino did monster business for a guy nearing 80.

Comments

[Carv]

I'm one of the few who truly enjoyed Indy 4, and I think Ford still works as Indiana Jones--that movie seemed to wake him up for the first time in decades. But I also think Indy is like 007, in that I wouldn't mind a younger character being absorbed into the franchise. I'm okay with making that Mutt Williams (though there are fewer politically correct pulp baddies in 1950s pop culture, hence the space aliens in Indy 4), and I'm also okay with someone like Thomas Jane taking the reins. I just think pulp adventure is too rich a genre to let slip into movie history, and Indiana Jones is the best of that genre.

[MRPigg]

I don't know why they don't just start filming now, because "a germ of an idea" was all that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was...

[Carv]

For the life of me, I don't get the hatred for IJatKotCS, stupid title and monkey scene aside. Space aliens and UFOs WERE the pulp fiction of the 1950s, just as the Nazis were the villains of the 1930s. Should Indy have looked for Gojira instead? The ants are no dumber than the spiders or rats or bugs or bats or snakes of previous Indy films. The dialogue is tighter and smarter than in Temple of Doom, the first reel is downright outstanding (at least until the fridge--"Are you crazy? The fall'll probably kill you"--but then it gets its mojo back with the iconic shot of Indy against the mushroom cloud). You only have to watch any given Mummy movie to see how much better Indy 4 was than any of its recent competitors.

[MRPigg]

I did not hate Indy 4. I had no problem with the aliens at the end, and I don't understand why that was more unacceptable and unbelievable than being saved by the "Power of God." I just felt a lot of things about it were lazy. Unnecessary CGI, fakey looking set design and a terrible, misplaced car chase to name a few things all interrupted the overall flow for me. The first trilogy, especially Raiders is timeless. This one is dated, similar to the new Star Wars trilogy, and will only seem like more of a memory as time goes on.

[J.Bradley]

I don't think they're serious about anything. Lucas is the "ideas" guy and until he comes up with the idea, Spielberg and Ford won't be providing ANY follow-through. Really what they need is Paramount to put up the money and a timetable - then it'll happen -fast. Until then it'll just be a germ of an idea - for a video game or a CGI movie or series or something. Period-wise the movies are now in the James Bond period and they're NOT gonna' emmulate those (surely-to-God!) If they really want the franchise to continue then they REALLY emmulate Bond and get another actor to play Jones and place the stories before and between the existing movies.

[paramorefreak]

i really hope they make a fifth one, because they want to introduce indiana jones to this generation of people, such as the younger kids who weren't alive when the first three movies were shot. it would be intereesting to see a fifth one come out because, in my opinion, any indiana jones movie is worth seeing.

[rilian]

"...fakey looking set design and a terrible, misplaced car chase"
If that's not signature Indy, then what is? ;-p

I say let Harrison play the part til he can't do it physically. I have a feeling that a younger actor playing indy will just not be the same. As good as a few of Roger Moore's Bond films were, we all know who the real James Bond is, don't we? Cmon, admit it...Connery is it. Same thing here. There can be only one Indy and if he can't do it, no one should. My 2¢

[indy]

I definitely rate Indy 4 before Temple of Doom, but after Raiders and Last Crusade. It was good, (cheesy alien stuff and all) but it can't compete with the classics... ESPECIALLY not Raiders. I really hope they keep making Indiana Jones movies. I'm one of those "younger generation" people but I love it and I want it to continue! (Although I do think they should stick with the Nazi era. I prefer a younger Indiana Jones but it'll be pretty hard finding someone who can do it as well as Harrison Ford...)