Rumors of Indiana Jones’ imminent return to the big screen might have been exaggerated, as the latest update suggests a revival of the classic adventure series won’t come to fruition for several years at least. In the latest edition of his newsletter, Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider weighed in on the Indiana Jones speculation, making it clear the franchise is not at the top of Lucasfilm’s priority list right now. The studio is currently ironing out the next Star Wars movie slate and preparing for a transition as president Kathleen Kennedy prepares to step down from her position. Once those matters are settled, then perhaps Lucasfilm will look to bring back the world-famous archeologist.
“As for Indiana Jones, a reboot is inevitable, sure. But that’s many, many years away,” Sneider wrote (via LRM Online). “So, anyone holding their breath for an announcement at D23 next year may want to exhale, as it isn’t happening. As I’ve previously said, Lucasfilm is focused on righting the Star Wars ship on the big screen, and Kathleen Kennedy is getting ready to depart and hand the company reins to two of her executives. No one is thinking about Indiana Jones, let alone who will play him. All due respect to Glen Powell, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal.”
Earlier this month, rumors of an Indiana Jones reboot made waves when it was reported Disney was planning a new project that would be announced during next year’s D23 Expo. At the time, it was said since the franchise remains a valuable commodity, the Mouse House wouldn’t want it to sit on the shelf for too long. The idea was described as a “full reboot,” implying the project would be built around a new actor taking over for Harrison Ford.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was the franchise’s most recent feature film, hitting theaters in June 2023. Despite earning generally positive reviews, the movie bombed at the box office, grossing only $383.9 million worldwide against a production budget that was in the range of $295-387 million. Dial of Destiny director James Mangold admitted “it hurt” to see the movie get such a mixed reception, wishing audiences had responded better to the film’s themes of aging and closure.
The latest update on Indiana Jones’ big-screen future is a tad confusing since there are now two reports stating very different things, raising questions about which one is actually true. While Disney would probably be interested in rebooting a popular franchise like Indiana Jones at some point down the line, it makes sense for other projects to take precedence for the time being. Star Wars is unquestioningly the more lucrative of Lucasfilm’s two big franchises; four of the five Star Wars movies released by Disney have grossed over $1 billion worldwide. There’s much more potential with Star Wars — not just from a box office perspective, but a storytelling one as well. Indiana Jones is dependent on the titular character. Star Wars has the freedom to tell a variety of stories in the vast galaxy far, far away. It’s more important for Lucasfilm to figure out a plan for Star Wars movies first.
There’s also a case to be made that the Indiana Jones franchise should just be allowed to rest. Characters like James Bond and Batman have been recast multiple times, but each property is its own unique case. After playing Dr. Jones five times, Ford is synonymous with the role, and it would be a tall task for anyone to follow his footsteps. Even if the filmmakers find the right actor who captures the spirit of the character (a la Alden Ehrenreich in Solo: A Star Wars Story), that wouldn’t guarantee success. Perhaps someday someone will have a great idea that’s too good to pass up, but for now, it’s arguably best if Indiana Jones gets put on the back burner.
The post Rumored Indiana Jones Reboot Gets Confusing Update (But is it For the Best?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.
