Earlier this week came news that Lucasfilm is in the early stages of developing an Indiana Jones TV series, a report that has sent fans of the franchise into a frenzy wondering what it could possibly be about. Since the adventure movies had previously spun out into a prequel TV show withThe Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, there was speculation that the series might follow a different character altogether and it appears that might be the case. Speaking on The Hot Mic podcast, reporter Jeff Sneider revealed he’s hard the series is a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark, and follows a surprising character
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“I’ve heard that the Indiana Jones series is a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark that will follow Marion’s father,” Sneider revealed. “I’m told he is the protagonist of the Indiana Jones series.” As fans may recall, Abner Ravenwood is a character that is referenced quite a bit in the Indiana Jones movies but has never actually appeared in any of the films, comics, or stories. Within the mythology of Indiana Jones, Abner is not only the father of Karen Allen’s character, and by extension the grandfather of Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt, but was the primary mentor of Henry Jones Jr. while he was studying.
For Lucasfilm, making Abner Ravenwood the lead character of the series is an idea that provides them a lot of flexibility . Since he’s never actually appeared on screen they have a huge window of opportunity to do basically anything that they want. While allusions to Abner’s time mentoring Indy or even his life with Marion and her mother have been hinted at, even told in ancillary materials, it’s basically a blank slate of potential for the studio. All they need is to find the right person for the job, and figure out if Harrison Ford will have even a five second cameo or not.
When is Indiana Jones 5 coming out?
The fifth film in the Lucasfilm series will be released on June 30, 2023, marking the first movie in the franchise since 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Joining Ford will be Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Boyd Holbrook, and Shaunette Renée Wilson. For the first time in franchise history the film also won’t be directed by Steven Spielberg, with Logan and Ford v Ferrari’s James Mangold stepping behind the camera for the new sequel.
