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Will the new Indiana Jones film be a Lost Ark or a Crystal Skull?

“I always knew someday you’d come walking back through my door. I never doubted that. Something made it inevitable”

If you have been living under a big spherical rock, rather than being chased by one, you might not have heard yet Indiana Jones is coming back.

After a teasing tweet from Frank Marshall, who produced the original trilogy (and for eagle eyed viewers has cameos in both Raiders and Temple) Disney announced in a press release that a new Indiana Jones film would be released in 2019.

What we know

“We have top men working on it now.”

“We have top men working on it now.”

 Since Disney purchased Lucasfilm for an incredible $4.05bn rumours have been floating around of a new Indiana Jones film which was confirmed by the announcement that the next instalment will hit cinemas on July 19th 2019.

Harrison Ford is returning with Steven Spielberg directing. Interestingly there is no mention of George Lucas who was instrumental in writing the previous films.

News has also surfaced that the script will be written by David Koepp who has worked with Spielberg on previous films including Jurassic Park and War of the Worlds.

With such limited details it’s hard to predict what kind of film we might actually see. Initial reaction is polarising and it’s easy to see why after Crystal Skull. Let’s have a look at why this announcement could be both good and bad news.

Fears

200_s

“How odd that it should end this way for us after so many stimulating encounters”

There is a possibility that we could get Crystal Skull Mark 2. No one can deny whilst it was a commercial success, it wasn’t a great film. We all remember the Gophers, aliens and the vine swinging monkeys. George Lucas was first in the firing line for ‘nuking the fridge’ but Spielberg stood by the films decisions saying in an interview that he was “very happy with the movie. I always have been”. David Koepp is returning who also wrote the screenplay for Crystal Skull (His other sequel writing credits include Jurassic Park: Lost World). Could this mean that the same mistakes are made again?

The internet has been awash with ‘old man’ jokes and memes with Indy brandishing a walking stick rather than the famed whip and there is no getting away from the fact that Harrison Ford will be 77 when the film is released. I can’t imagine he will be doing much sprinting under closing doors; he mostly seems to get hurt by them these days. Some people his age would forget they even have a hat let alone remembering to grab it just in time. If the film concentrates on Harrison could this mean we won’t get the thrills and chases we get a disinterested performance instead.

Cynical money grabbing?

 

Hopes

ToDsankararetrieval_large

“Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory”

 I love Indiana Jones and writing those fears was quite painful, I’m excited by the news so let’s look at what a new film could be.

Well firstly no one, including Spielberg could have missed the disappointment and criticism of Crystal Skull but this represents a second chance learn lessons and put it right. It’s easy to be pessimistic this is Spielberg and Ford, the driving force behind the original trilogy and David Koepp is an experienced successful writer who brought us Jurassic Park. They have the potential to bring the fun thrill ride back.

When Disney purchased Lucasfilm they weren’t just in it for the movie magic, ultimately they want see a return on their investment. In order for them to maximise the ‘property’ the key to this is creating a successful and profitable first film.Disney has plenty of vital experience here, through its Marvel franchise but also more obviously from Star Wars. In the Force Awakens they have shown they have the ability to balance the Nostalgia and still bring fresh ideas, creating a film the fans (mostly) loved.

A new Indiana Jones opens up wide possibilities for the future, from films about a continuation of the story, a potential handing over the flame to a new hero (Chris Pratt & Bradley Cooper seem to be the internet’s favourite at the moment) and even a new story more akin to the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles with an exploration of past adventures. With Lucasfilm announcing a Han Solo film charting his younger days the same actor (if successful) could easily play a younger Indy. The point is the franchise could go any number or ways, let’s just hope it isn’t area 51.

Return of a film hero.

temple-of-doom

“Professor of Archaeology, expert on the occult, and how does one say it, obtainer of rare antiquities”

 

Whatever happens it will be great to see Indiana jones back. The thing that I think makes Indy such a great character is the he is essentially flawed. He is unconventional (see the sword fight scene in Raiders), he doesn’t always make the right decisions (like taking the grail diary to the German castle in Crusade) and he often has to wing it (truck chase in raiders). This actually isn’t something we see that often in the proliferation of the super hero franchise. Indy isn’t some otherworldly being with super powers that he can fall back on. He is one flawed man with a whip and a pistol who wins the day through sheer fight and it would be great to see him come back.

Whatever happens the next instalment is due to hit cinemas on July 19th 2019 when we will also get Star Wars Episode 9.

 So what do you think? Are you excited or pessimistic about it all? Add a comment below.


TRAILERS


4 Comments

  1. Nice article. And like with Force awakens I hope this brings new life after the disappointment of the last outing!
    Then again just seeing Indy in action again – I’d pay for that!
    Fate of Atlantis would still be amazing to see in the big screen, and it would still work with an older Indy.

    • Would love to see Fate of Atlantis make it to the big screen

  2. I just hope it is better than the last one. Hopefully the odd numbered Indy films will be the good ones

  3. Love the Atlantis angle great Macguffin too. I can wait to pour over the details once more come out!

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