The dream partnership of Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg look set to re-unite for at least one more action-packed adventure, with the welcome news from Walt Disney of plans for another Indiana Jones Film. The blockbusting franchise has set out plans for a fifth instalment which is scheduled for release in July 2019.
Lengthy gap between films
It will be 11 years since fans last saw him don his trademark fedora and crack his whip as ‘Indy’ and admirers of the archaeological adventurer’s exploits must have wondered if they had seen the last of the ever-popular Ford in the lead role.
Yet his charisma and appetite to feature in blockbusters seems undiminished, with yet another triumphant performance in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” safely tucked away last year.
Sprightly Ford returns
At a sprightly 73, Ford may well have to limit his involvement in many of the action sequences on set demanded from the Indiana Jones role. But his mere involvement guarantees strong interest in the exciting project as viewers contemplate where next for their swashbuckling hero.
Spielberg involvement
Although the fourth film, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” may not have quite had the same panache as the earlier films, the continuing involvement of Spielberg is welcome news. Last year’s “Bridge of Spies” was well-received by critics, although his acclaimed director skills could not quite earn Spielberg the top prize at the recent Oscars ceremony (“The Revenant” director Alejandro G.
Inarritu took the coveted prize instead).
Well-established partnership
Spielberg and Ford gelled superbly for the original Indiana Jones episode in 1981, as “Raiders of the Lost Ark” burst on to our screens and grabbed our attention with its roller-coaster action-adventure narrative. Three years later they returned in the George Lucas-written prequel, “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and Spielberg has remained at the helm for both “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989) and the 2008 adventure.
Interesting potential going forward
It will be intriguing to see how the fifth film develops, after fans were given a glimpse of the potential future direction that the Indiana Jones concept could take going forward in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. His grown-up son, Mutt Williams – played vibrantly by Shia LaBeouf – demonstrated his desire to pick up the mantle from his father. Will there be a seamless evolution in the pipeline or will Ford continue to dominate the relationship on their global travels?