There is hardly an 80’s film hero as iconic as Indiana Jones. He’s suave and handsome, but also goofy, relatable and flawed. A starting point for, many argue, a golden age of action movie heroes that redefined the industry. With Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, Indy won fans over and launched into a trilogy of some of the most beloved 80’s Spielberg films of all time. That money was made hand over fist is a given, meaning that there would be, inevitably, an effort to recapture the Indy magic in modern times.
This brought us Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008. Excitement for the film was initially high, but upon release original fans of the trilogy were left lukewarm. That it wasn’t the 80’s Indiana Jones everyone loved seemed to be the general consensus, though it was likewise not bad enough to put viewers off.
Either way, it didn’t seem like plans were in motion to add a fifth film to the franchise.
A Replacement For Indiana Jones?
But a fifth film has been confirmed for a release date of sometime in 2021. What it will be about is still largely unknown, but questions are now starting to be asked about whether the franchise will continue after star Harrison Ford has officially retired. For a while rumours circulated that Chris Pratt would take of the role, but these were quickly squashed by Ford himself. He stated plainly that no one would take over the role, and that when he was gone, Indiana Jones was gone.
But this doesn’t mean that the franchise will not continue without him. Although Indiana Jones himself may not appear in future projects, it doesn’t mean that a new character will not take up the reigns. Speculation was even rife that the character Mutt Jones, Indy’s son in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, would take over. But this never came to pass, much to the relief of many.
Indiana Joan?
Back in April 2018 Spielberg made a passing comment that the next Indiana Jones might be a woman, hinting even at the name Indiana Joan. The statement blew up at the time, but this also seems to be an idea that never came to pass. Though the idea of a Lara Croft style replacement would have been pretty interesting, as Croft’s already been immortalised in everything from computer games to online casino NZ games, and is a hugely iconic figure in both the gaming and movie world.
The question still remains, however; what will become of Indiana Jones after Harrison Ford officially calls it quits? Many fans of the original trilogy are firm in the notion that the franchise should have ended with Last Crusade in 1989, but given that Hollywood is what it is, there is almost no question that Indiana Jones 5 will not be the last entry. Be it Indiana Joan, or Mutt Jones the Adventurer, remains to be seen. But at least one film will star Ford himself and possibly other celebrities too, and hopes are high that it will capture the 80’s style everyone loved more than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
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