Steven Spielberg is no longer directing Indiana Jones 5 and James Mangold is in talks to replace him. The fifth Indiana Jones movie has been in development for years now, ever since Disney regained the full rights to the franchise from Paramount in late 2013 (a year after they bought Lucasfilm). However, it’s had a difficult time moving forward and has already been delayed twice from its original Summer 2019 release date due to script rewrites. Of course, it doesn’t help that Spielberg and star Harrison Ford (once again reprising his iconic role) have been keeping as busy as ever through it all.

Recently, however, it’s seemed as though Indiana Jones 5 is finally going to happen. Just a couple weeks ago, Ford confirmed the plan is to begin shooting in about two months or so, giving the movie plenty of time to make it through production and editing for its Summer 2021 release. Now, the film has gone through yet another unexpected - but, in this case, exciting - development.

Variety is reporting Spielberg has decided to step down as director on Indiana Jones 5, but will remain onboard as a producer. Mangold, whose recent films include the Oscar-nominated X-Men movie Logan and last year’s Ford v Ferrari (a racing biopic that snagged a nomination for Best Picture) is currently in talks to replace him at the helm.

According to Variety’s sources, Spielberg vacated the director’s chair on Indiana Jones 5 in order to allow a younger generation to “bring their perspective” to the property. In hindsight, his decision isn’t exactly shocking; many fans felt Spielberg’s heart wasn’t really in it when he made 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, having already moved on from the franchise by that point in his career. Mangold, on the other hand, feels like someone who could restore a sense of grit to the Indiana Jones movies, similar to what he did with The Wolverine and especially Logan. His efforts on the western remake 3:10 to Yuma are further evidence of the rough and tumble style he could bring to Indiana Jones 5 (to mention nothing of his technical proficiency, which was fully on display throughout Ford v Ferrari’s car racing sequences).

Given the parallels between Logan and Indiana Jones 5 (both are action films about an aging warrior), one does wonder if Mangold would go so far as to kill off Indiana in the sequel, much like he did Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Back in 2016, Spielberg said that’s one thing he would not do in Indiana Jones 5, but Mangold may well have a different plan in mind. (Heck, Ford even said he doesn’t want anyone else to play the character last year.) For now, it remains to be seen if Mangold does, in fact, sign on to direct the sequel. After all, he’s got a number of projects competing for his attention (like The Force) and his previous attempt to work with Disney and Lucasfilm on a Boba Fett movie fell apart in early development. Then again, the chance to send Indy off into the sunset for good might be too enticing for him to pass on.

Source: Variety

  • Indiana Jones 5 Release Date: 2023-06-30