Last Updated: April 16, 2021

Indiana Jones 5 is the latest installment in the popular Indiana Jones franchise, and here’s everything we know about it so far. The Indiana Jones legacy began with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, then continued with 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Presumably, this will be the final adventure for Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, though it’s unknown if Indiana Jones 5 will pave the way for a new lead actor to take over for future installments. Steven Spielberg, who helmed the previous four movies in the series, was originally set to call the shots once again, but there’s since been a shakeup behind the scenes after years of delays.

Can Ford’s Indy still provide the same action and adventure thrills he used to in Indiana Jones 5? That remains to be seen, but for now, here’s what we know about the film including its release date, cast, and story details.

Indiana Jones 5 Release Date

To say that Indiana Jones 5 has had a rocky road to production would be an understatement. The sequel has been pushed back and delayed numerous times, and has also gone through multiple writers. However, Indiana Jones 5 is set to release in theaters July 29, 2022, after production ended up delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Whether this date will finally stick is anyone’s guess, but as the film is finally starting to round out is main cast and production expected to begin in summer 2021, it seems like the 2022 date will stick.

Indiana Jones 5 Stars Harrison Ford In Title Role

Hollywood is no stranger to recasting iconic roles (see: Batman, James Bond), but only one man has portrayed Indiana Jones since the franchise started back in 1981. Living legend Harrison Ford will play the character for the fifth and (presumably) final time in this latest installment. Though in the earliest stages of development there was talk Chris Pratt would headline a reboot, both Steven Spielberg and producer Frank Marshall went on record to state Ford will not be replaced. Indiana Jones 5 concludes Ford’s unofficial “legacy sequel” trilogy, following Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Blade Runner 2049.

Indiana Jones 5 Supporting Cast

The previous Indiana Jones films were well-known for their supporting casts, giving the archeologist memorable allies (Sallah, Marion, Short Round) and menacing villains (Belloq, the Nazis). In Indiana Jones 5, Ford will be joined by Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who will play the as-yet-unnamed leading role, while Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen has been cast in a mystery role. It’s possible he’ll play the villain, though that hasn’t been confirmed yet. It’s likely both characters names and backstories will remain under wraps until the film gets closer to release. Elsewhere, it’s been confirmed that Shia LaBeouf will not reprise Mutt Williams, Indy’s son who debuted to mixed results in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. On the flip side, John Rhys-Davies has expressed hope to play Sallah again.

James Mangold Will Direct Indiana Jones 5

In stark contrast to Star Wars, this Lucasfilm action-adventure series has been helmed by a single filmmaker from day one. Steven Spielberg called the shots on the first four, but surprisingly, he won’t be returning for a fifth go-around. When Disney announced Indiana Jones 5, Ford and Spielberg were the two main players attached. Now, Spielberg has bowed out, with Logan helmer James Mangold set to take over as director. Spielberg will remain onboard as a producer though.

George Lucas Is Not Involved

Raiders of the Lost Ark was the brainchild of Spielberg and George Lucas, and the dynamic duo collaborated on the first three sequels. But after selling Lucasfilm to Disney, Lucas is now retired from filmmaking and no longer involved in the storytelling aspects of the upcoming film. Since it was Lucas who pushed for the sci-fi elements that derailed Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, this development is arguably for the best.

John Williams Is Composing The Score

While Lucas isn’t coming back, producer Spielberg is set to reunite once again with his old friend, composer John Williams. The two have been working together since the 1970s, with Williams’ music brilliantly complementing Spielberg’s sensibilities as a filmmaker - including the now-iconic main Indiana Jones theme. Williams continues to deliver outstanding work, earning Oscar nominations for Force Awakens and The Last Jedi in recent years. Hopefully, he’s got another great score left in him.

Indiana Jones 5 Story Details

So far, no official details about Indiana Jones 5’s story have been released. Several writers have taken passes at the sequel’s script this point, including Crystal Skull writer David Koepp, This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman, and Solo: A Star Wars Story’s Jonathan Kasdan. Mangold confirmed he was co-writing the screenplay with Jeremy Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth. And, with as massive a franchise as Indiana Jones is, one assumes Disney will try to go the Marvel Studios route on this one and keep things mysterious for as long as possible.

Indiana Jones Will Not Die

When Harrison Ford returned to the Star Wars franchise for Episode VII, many assumed Han Solo would meet his end (which is precisely what happened). However, something similar will not be in the cards for Indiana Jones 5. The only aspect of the story Spielberg was willing to reveal is that he is not killing Indiana Jones, meaning the archeologist should have (another) happy ending after riding off into the sunset and getting married.

Indiana Jones 5 Is A Continuation Of The Series

The Indiana Jones franchise sneakily made one of the best movie prequels in Temple of Doom, which, in-universe, is set one year before Raiders. The creative team won’t be utilizing that approach for the fifth installment though, as producer Frank Marshall stated it’ll be a “continuation” of the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull story. This doesn’t necessarily mean Indy 5 will be a direct sequel, but it reads as confirmation the film will take place after Crystal Skull. Given LaBeouf isn’t coming back, there may not be that much connective tissue.

Indiana Jones 5 Is The End Of The Franchise

Lucasfilm may have brought back the Star Wars franchise in a big way, expanding the films beyond the Skywalker family saga to make spinoffs like Rogue One and Solo. However, it sounds like the Indiana Jones property won’t be following suit despite Disney’s Bob Iger saying he hoped Indiana Jones 5 wouldn’t just be a one-off and that there’d be more down the line. However, in December 2020, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed the fifth installment would be the last.

Indiana Jones 5 Trailer & Poster Haven’t Been Released

Because principal photography on Indiana Jones 5 hasn’t commenced and the film doesn’t hit theaters until 2022, Lucasfilm has not released a teaser trailer yet because it doesn’t exist. A preview likely won’t be unveiled until late 2021. Fans should expect the film’s first poster to be unveiled a bit prior to the trailer’s release as well.

Disney’s Deal With Paramount

The first four Indiana Jones films were released by Paramount, but with Lucasfilm now a Disney subsidiary, the Mouse House will distribute Indiana Jones 5. In order to gain full control over production of future Indiana Jones projects, Disney and Paramount had to make a deal. Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount will receive a slice of the pie from any theatrically released Indiana Jones film.

More: Every Villain From The Indiana Jones Movies, Ranked

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