OK but Do We NEED a Fifth Indiana Jones?

Listen, we love the Indiana Jones Trilogy. It’s a great series full of nostalgia, adventure, history, and the unshakeable certainty that the best way to deal with Nazis is to punch them in the face or let their faces melt.

Wait I’m sorry, I’ve been informed that there was a fourth Indiana Jones film where he fought or met … aliens? Upon further reflection, I do remember Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and I have to ask … why do we need another movie in this franchise again?

(The gif has nothing to do with this story except to say that it alone is a better movie than Crystal Skull).

News broke today that Steven Spielberg with not be directing “Indy 5,” and instead James Mangold of Ford v. Ferrari and Logan is in final talks to replace him. Harrison Ford is still slated for the film, which he claimed during the recent press for Call of the Wild, and Steven Spielberg will remain as a producer.

This project has been in development for years and continually been pushed back since it was initially announced in 2016. At this point, it’s slated to open in July of next year, but with a new director coming on now … this seems unlikely. The script is from (among other, because this is Hollywood) Jonathan Kasdan, who is also the man behind the upcoming Willow series and the son of Lawrence Kasdan, director of The Empire Strikes Back and screenwriter of Raider of the Lost Arc, so they’re keeping things in the LucasFilm family in that respect.

But with this newest bump in the road to new Indy content, we have to ask—why? After the disaster of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, do we really need to go back to this well? Is the hope here to rescue the Indiana Jones legacy or to just make more money, which I’m sure this sequel will do?

The reason Crystal Skull was so bad is that it lacked the spark of the original three films, and the new era and setting didn’t help either. Now we might be getting an even older Indy, and while I know some people like Mangold’s meditation on aging and heroism that was Logan, I don’t think that’s what will work here.

The only way I can see this really being a success is if the film is a vehicle for Harrison Ford to hand over the reins to a “new” Indy or someone like that to helm the franchise. I know that was sort of the idea with Shia LeBouef’s character in Crystal Skull but that didn’t work out, and LeBouef won’t be in this sequel.

But who could replace friggin’ Harrison Ford? Well, if you know me you know who I’m going to suggest but I’m going to do it anyway: Jensen Ackles.

Ackles has the rare combination of toughness, sensitivity, comedy chops, dramatic power and pure charisma that would make him a perfect fit for this franchise. He’s also pretty good in action scenes and he’s going to have a lot of time on his hands soon when Supernatural wraps in July so, get him in there, Disney! If you’re going to insist on making this movie, at least make it worth the time!

(via Variety)

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