UPDATED: Just as we all started to get excited, producer Frank Marshall gives a definitive update through Twitter, noting “The rumor about INDY 5 is completely false. Nothing has changed, we are not shooting next year and still in the research phase…” – oh well. Guess that’s the last time we listen to Musicrooms.net! I actually thought the Bermuda Triangle idea had a bit of promise too. Original story below.
There’s already been a few rumors floating about regarding a possible fifth Indiana Jones film, including Harrison Ford himself saying back in March there’s an idea they’re playing around with. Just last month Shia LeBeouf admitted to letting down the fans with INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, which may have led many to believe there might in fact not be another Indy adventure on the big screen. But now, a new rumor is circulating. The website MusicRooms is reporting Harrison has agreed to reprise the role of Henry Jones Jr. one last time. They’re saying INDY 5 will begin shooting next year, and much of the plot line will be centred around the Bermuda Triangle – a well known mysterious area over the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft are said to have disappeared.
“George (Lucas) and Steven (Spielberg) have been working on a script and it’s almost there,” a source explained. “Harrison is on stand-by for filming next year. This looks like being an emotional and exciting conclusion to the franchise, with Indy facing his biggest challenge yet.”
They also say that Shia LaBeouf will return as Mutt Williams. They go on to say that “Movie Bosses” state the film will stay true to the series’ roots, and won’t contain lots of state-of-the-art special effects.
“Shia LaBeouf has a central role again as Indy’s son but this will be a blockbuster made in the old fashioned way rather than the CGI efforts of the last movie,” the source added..
The poster I mention to the right, click to enlarge
Now there’s a few things that simply must be said here. First of all, take this whole thing with a serious grain of salt. These types of rumors get floated around a lot, and this MusicRooms site (while crediting a “source”) didn’t even bother the get the release year of INDY 4 right. It came out in 2008 guys, not 2006. And lastly, I don’t see (regardless of whatever complaints came from the heavy use of computer effects) any Lucasfilm production from here on not using heavy CGI to accomplish big action scenes. All of that aside, I do want to see at least one more Indy film, which would hopefully be a fitting end to the franchise. They could make up for some of the shortcomings of the last film, and find a nice and neat way to wrap everything up for the character(s). I would like to see more Marion, and more of the Indy and Marion bickering, which was sadly sparsely used in the last installment, and I’d also like to see a more believable and more thoughtful bit of bonding between Indy and Mutt. Say what you want about INDY 4, but that film grossed worldwide almost $800 million ($786,636, 033 to be exact), and $100 million of that was just on opening weekend, which makes the idea of a sequel pretty easy to swallow for those involved. Personally, I wanted to see them use the lost city of Atlantis, which was done beautifully as an Indy video game from Lucasarts several years ago (INDIANA JONES AND THE FATE OF ATLANTIS). It’s such a natural fit for Indy to explore, right? I still have a promotional poster for the game, done very much in the style of a movie poster, and I remember even back them thinking “This would be a perfect Indy movie!” If you’ve never played the game (which granted is pretty dated now), see if you can find a copy, and tell me you don’t agree it’s ripe for big screen adventure. Indiana Jones is best when he’s going after spiritual or supernatural artifacts, and the lost city of Atlantis would not only fall into those categories, but be very open to imaginative interpretation, since no one really knows what the city would be like.
So what do you think about Indy hitting the Bermuda Triangle? Are you on board? Tell us in the comments below.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
