Indiana Jones Producer Admits Problems With That Sequel

Indiana Jones 5 is set to hit theaters next summer, but while fans of the franchise are looking forward to next installment, which will see Harrison Ford joined by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Boyd Holbrook, and more, fans still think about the fourth film in the franchise, 2008's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull — but not necessarily in a positive way/ The film was largely panned by audiences with some elements, notably the moment Indy survives a nuclear blast in a refrigerator, being widely mocked. Now, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy is opening up about the sequel's problem: it's story.

"You never set out to do anything except make a great movie," Kennedy told Empire Magazine (via Cinemablend). "And sometimes you hit that perfectly, and sometimes you don't. In the case of Indy 4, I don't think there's any specific thing that any of us looked back on, except that we may not have had as strong a story as we wanted."

Story issues are something that even the film's screenwriter David Koepp has previously spoken about, particularly the addition of aliens being the central story element for the film. Koepp said that he was never happy with the idea, even though it came from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

"When I came on, I tried to convince [Spielberg and Lucas] to change it — I had this other idea. They didn't want to change it," the Jurassic Park and Spider-Man screenwriter said. "I'm not saying mine would've been better. But I think that a lot of the pushback that movie got, in a larger sense aside from little things people might not have liked — that were too silly or whatever — the larger one was that [fans said], 'We don't feel like aliens should've been in an Indiana Jones movie.'"

Who Is Directing Indiana Jones 5?

Originally, Steven Spielberg was supposed to return to helm the fifth installment, but Logan director James Mangold ended up taking over the project

"James Mangold has done an unbelievable job with Indy," Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy told ComicBook.com during Star Wars Celebration. "And he and Harrison [Ford] have an incredible relationship and I think the fans are just going to love what he's created. It's fantastic."

"I'm thrilled to be starting a new adventure, collaborating with a dream team of all-time great filmmakers," Mangold said in a statement when the film was first announced. "Steven, Harrison, Kathy, Frank, and John are all artistic heroes of mine. When you add Phoebe, a dazzling actor, brilliant creative voice, and the chemistry she will undoubtedly bring to our set, I can't help but feel as lucky as Indiana Jones himself."

Franchise newcomers will include Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Mads Mikkelsen (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Boyd Holbrook (Logan), Thomas Kretschmann (King Kong), Shaunette Renée Wilson (The Resident), and Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory). While fans haven't gotten to see much from the movie yet, there have been some exciting set photos of the cast. 

Indiana Jones 5 is set to be released in theaters on June 30, 2023.