Indiana Jones is one of the most well-known and beloved film characters of all time. The famed archeologist has headlined several massively popular films: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), and now, a currently untitled fifth film set to be released in 2022.
Despite the mixed reception to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, fans are looking forward to the fifth, and most likely final, installment in the Indiana Jones series. After several delays due to COVID-19, people are excited to see it finally going into production. In an era of reboots and prequels, a new Indiana Jones movie still starring Harrison Ford as the titular character feels like a real treat.
A lot of the details around Indiana Jones 5 are being kept under wraps for now. There is sure to be more information revealed about the project as filming and production continue. But for now, here is everything that is publicly known about the upcoming Indiana Jones movie.
Cast and Crew
This is the very first film in the franchise to not be directed by Steven Spielberg. Spielberg is still involved in the creative process, but has taken on an executive producer role, along with fellow producers Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Simon Emanuel. Taking the director's seat will be James Mangold, known for his work on films such as Logan, The Wolverine, Ford v. Ferrari, and Girl, Interrupted. Mangold also co-wrote the script along with brothers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, who have previously written the scripts for Edge of Tomorrow, Fair Game, and Ford v. Ferrari. John Williams will be returning to compose the score, as usual.
Ford, as stated before, will be returning as professor of archaeology Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones. Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge will be playing the female lead, which could be an interesting contrast to Indiana's energy. Mads Mikkelsen of Hannibal and Casino Royale, Boyd Holbrook from Logan and the upcoming Sandman, and Shaunette Renee Wilson from The Resident and Black Panther have all been cast in undisclosed roles. There has been no word about whether other members of the cast from earlier Indiana Jones films will be returning. Indiana Jones married longtime love interest Marion Ravenwood at the end of the fourth film, so she could be returning.
Filming
Filming on Indiana Jones 5 has begun in the U.K. in June 2021. Harrison Ford has been seen in the U.K. prior to the start of filming. Thanks to some available set photos, it has been revealed that one of the filming locations is Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, on the Northeast coast of England.
The sprawling castle is centuries old, having been restored a number of times, and has been used in several other films and television series, including The Last Kingdom, Elizabeth, and A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court. Indiana Jones 5 will be filming there until June 14 2021. It has been confirmed that the movie will also be filming at Pinewood Studios in London and in several other locations around Britain.
Plot
Little is known about the plot of Indiana Jones 5 so far. Obviously, with 79-year-old Ford reprising his role, the movie will follow an older Indiana Jones, perhaps having retired, perhaps not. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was set in 1957, so the next film is likely to be set at least ten years later. This seems to be confirmed by a January 2021 tweet by Mangold, who wrote, "The Velvet Underground are f***ing great. That's it. That's my tweet. (Note: I'm mentally living in 60's NYC right now because that's where all the movies I'm working on take place." While Indiana Jones 5 seems to be taking place mostly in Britain, the timing of the tweet combined with the time period mentioned makes it likely it was one of the movies Mangold was referring to. Mangold himself is also from NYC.
With the reveal of the castle location, as mentioned above, some have speculated that Indiana Jones 5 could be making use of a face-off between Indiana Jones and a Scottish ghost that opened the original script for The Last Crusade. Others speculate that, being set in the sixties, the plot could somehow involve the space race--although this seems less likely with the film seemingly taking place mostly in Britain.
Whatever the case, cast member Mikkelsen has said of the script, "it's everything I wished it to be, so that was just great." He has given no further insight into his character, but also said to Collider, "I do think I'm invited in to create a character, I think that everybody wants that. That's why they pick certain actors that they think can come up with certain things, and it will be a collaboration as it always is." He also says the Indiana Jones films are always a genre mix. It seems likely Indiana Jones 5 will be as well.
Indiana Jones 5 is set to be released in theatres in 2022.