The upcoming Indiana Jones sequel, which is set to star Harrison Ford yet again as the whip-crackin’ archaeologist, has lost its director. For the first time in 39 years, Steven Spielberg is leaving the director’s seat of an Indy film.
Does this spell DOOM for the Indy sequel? Will production ultimately be smashed to bits as the boulder finally hits the screen?
A new report by Variety states that it was Spielberg’s decision to pass the directorial reins to another filmmaker with the intention of bringing something new to the table. Someone who could bring fresh ideas and a new perspective on the iconic character. Someone like… James Mangold.
Mangold, director of acclaimed hits such as Logan and Ford v Ferrari, is currently in talks to helm the fifth instalment in the adventure series. While there hasn’t been any official statement from the studio regarding this potential hiring, this could likely spell good fortune for the franchise.
Mangold has been living up to his namesake and spinning gold with his recent films such as 2017’s X-Men spin-off, Logan, which left us all reeling in tears at the resolution of the film. Besides, his efforts in Ford v Ferrari made it one of the most enjoyable fares of 2019, picking up multiple Academy Award nominations and ultimately triumphing in two technical categories. If he could take a character that everyone loved, stretch him apart, and create a compelling narrative that finalized the character’s legacy, rest assured, he could do the same for Professor Jones.
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That being said, Spielberg is not ready to fully step out of the temple as he will be staying on as a producer.
Indiana Jones 5 was set to open in the summer of 2019 but was delayed till 2021. Rewrites were cited as one of the main factors as Jonathan Kasdan was brought on fix the script originally penned by David Koepp. Indeed, this latest development could cause the project to be pushed back even further.
I certainly believe that Spielberg’s schedule has been really tight and that also factored in as to why he decided to pass the torch. The 73-year-old is currently occupied with his adaptation of the classic 1961 musical West Side Story which is set to be released in December this year. Having a rushed production for Indiana Jones 5 would definitely not be good for everyone involved as the final product could be deemed unsatisfactory.
What do you think? Does James Mangold have what it takes to crack to don the fedora and whip up a great Indy 5? Or will it be “snakes… why’d it have to be snakes”????
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