Indiana Jones 5 Release Date Delayed
Disney shook up the entertainment world (again) today, with the announcement that its slate of major blockbuster movies is all being shuffled. In the midst of several big Marvel movie release date changes came word that Indiana Jones 5 is being delayed nearly a year by Disney. The fifth Indiana Jones film was set to be released on July 29, 2022; it is now set to hit theaters on June 30, 2023. Given where Indiana Jones 5 currently is in production, this lengthy delay is not actually all that much of a surprise. Still, it will be a disappointment to all the fans who have been waiting this long to see Dr. Jones again.
The production on Indiana Jones 5 already hit a wall after franchise star Harrison Ford injured himself on set. Ford's injury was serious enough to keep him wearing an arm sling for weeks. It was stated that the production shot around Ford's absence, but it was an ominous sign, to say the least. Ford is now back at work shooting the film, but the delays Indiana Jones 5 has already experienced - plus the challenges of shooting in a COVID-19 world - probably make it a prudent move on Disney's part to give this major tentpole room to breathe. After all, nobody wants another Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull...
James Mangold (Logan) is directing Indiana Jones 5, from a script he co-wrote with his Ford vs. Ferrari collaborators Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. Starring in the film alongside Harrison Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabottom), Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal), Thomas Krestschmann (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Boyd Holbrook (Logan), Toby Jones (Captain America), Shaunette Renée Wilson (Black Panther) and Antonio Banderas.
When Comicbook.com spoke to James Mangold about Indiana Jones 5 he wouldn't say much - only what kind of goal he's set for taking on this next chapter of the franchise:
"I can't comment on anything... But like in all my work, I'm always trying to find an emotional center to operate from," Mangold explained. "I think the most important thing is, in an age when franchises have become a commodity are serving the same thing again. At least for me, in the dances I've had with any franchises, serving the same thing again, the same way, usually just produces a longing for the first time you ate it. Meaning, it makes an audience wish that they just had the first one over again. So you have to push something to someplace new, while also remembering the core reasons why everyone was gathered. And to use Logan as an example of that, when you're dealing in a world of a very pressured franchise."
Indiana Jones 5 will now hit theaters on June 30, 2023.
