Steven Spielberg will not be directing Indiana Jones 5 [via Variety]. No, instead, it has been announced that director James Mangold (“Ford v Ferrari,” “Logan”) will be taking over directing duty.
Mangold is a great director, but one wonders if the Indiana Jones series has any juice left in its reservoir. The last good movie in the franchise was “Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade,” which was released almost 31 years ago. Time to move on.
There was a noble attempt at gaining back the relevance of yore in 2008, but it turned out that “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” wasn’t that answer. Harrison Ford was missing a step or two, the story was clunky, there was none of that rebellious exuberance that was very much present in the ‘80s.
Ford will also be 78 by the time the fifth installment begins shooting, not to mention that the role is a physically demanding one — is it any wonder that there are doubts if this could actually be pulled off? Ford isn’t out-of-shape in the least bit, but, he is set to become the oldest action star at the movies.
Chris Pratt potentially becoming the next Indiana Jones should also be out of the question. Just put the entire franchise to rest, kill it from its misery. Maybe Spielberg should follow in the examples of fellow 80s franchise alumn “Back to the Future,” for which its writers and creators definitely do not want a 21st-century sequel or reboot to ever happen.