Jonathan Kasdan is making his way around Lucasfilm properties. The screenwriter collaborated with his father, Lawrence Kasdan, on this year's Solo: A Star Wars Story, and now he's reportedly working on the script for Indiana Jones 5. According to Collider, the younger Kasdan has replaced David Koepp (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) for the next sequel in the series.
Kasdan's father was one of George Lucas's co-writers on the first Indy movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. There's a possibility that the elder screenwriter could be working with his son on this sequel, just as he did with Solo. Regardless, this is a special development for Jonathan Kasdan, who now gets to write for the actual Harrison Ford rather than a substitute in one of Ford's roles.
While there's a chance Kasdan's hiring could change things, here's everything we've known about the fifth Indiana Jones movie so far:
Is Harrison Ford still Indiana Jones?
Yes, unlike his Star Wars role, Ford remains in the role of Indy.
Who else is back?
No other cast members or characters have been confirmed to return. However, last fall Koepp revealed that Indy's son, "Mutt," played by Shia LaBeouf in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, would not be in the movie. Maybe Kasdan's script could change that. We also would like to assume Marion (Karen Allen), whom Indy married in the last movie, would be involved in some capacity.
What about Spielberg?
Yes, Steven Spielberg will keep things consistent by directing the fifth installment, just as he directed the previous four. As was confirmed earlier this year, Indiana Jones 5 will be his next movie.
Who wrote the script?
Originally, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull scribe David Koepp was back for part five, but he was replaced by Solo: A Star Wars Story writer Jonathan Kasdan.
Do we know anything about the plot?
Again, we don't know if Koepp's ideas will be scrapped, but in 2016 he revealed that in the next movie Indy will be on a proper quest, meaning the fifth installment would be more like the first three than the fourth one, which he wrote and recognizes was mishandled. He said at the time about Kingdom of the Crystal Skull:
"It's a movie where a lot of things happen to Indy and he bumbles along for the ride. It's not like the previous three films where he is actively, aggressively questing for something of his own accord."
There has been word over the years that the movie would be Ford's final installment, but Spielberg has stated in the past that he won't kill off the character in the movie. But even if he doesn't die, there is expected to be another attempt at passing the torch to another younger actor.
When does Indiana Jones 5 come out?
Disney and Lucasfilm currently have the Indiana Jones sequel scheduled for July 10, 2020, though Variety now claims that the release date has been delayed; nothing further has been confirmed, however.
