Exclusive: ‘Solo’ Scribe Jonathan Kasdan Writing ‘Indiana Jones 5’ for Steven Spielberg
As Lucasfilm recalibrates the future of its Star Wars franchise, the company is pressing forward with its other marquee property, as Jonathan Kasdan (Solo: A Star Wars Story) has signed on to replace David Koepp as the writer of Indiana Jones 5, multiple sources tell Collider.
Representatives for Kasdan and Disney/Lucasfilm had no comment. Producer Frank Marshall did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Koepp or his representatives.
Steven Spielberg is directing the sequel, which will star Harrison Ford in what will likely be his final turn as the daring archaeologist according to media reports that point to Indy’s whip being passed down to a young actor — or perhaps, actress. Koepp was hired to write the Indy 5 script in 2016, having written the previous installment in the series, 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He has been one of Spielberg’s go-to scribes for years, writing such films as Jurassic Park, The Lost World and War of the Worlds, not to mention non-Spielberg blockbusters like Spider-Man and Mission: Impossible.
This past March, Spielberg announced plans to start production on Indy 5 in the U.K. in April 2019, as the tentpole is slated to hit theaters on July 10, 2020. The previous four films in the Indiana Jones series have collectively grossed nearly $2 billion worldwide, and after the mixed response to Crystal Skull, Spielberg is pulling out all the stops to send Ford’s Indy off on a high note — should Kasdan inherit the previously reported plan to pass the franchise torch to a younger actor in this film.
And that’s the thing. We don’t know the nature of Kasdan’s gig, so there are a few things we want to get straight. We aren’t sure if he’s rewriting Koepp’s existing script, or merely doing a two-week polish, or if he’s starting completely from scratch. We also don’t know if Kasdan is writing the script with a partner — perhaps his father, Lawrence Kasdan, with whom he wrote Solo, and who counts Raiders of the Lost Ark among his many credits. We also don’t know when Koepp left the project or when Kasdan was hired, be it before or after Solo opened below expectations, so it’s possible that he has been working on Indy 5 for some time now. As for who will ultimately get credit, we’ll leave that up to the WGA to decide.
Prior to co-writing and co-producing Solo, Kasdan wrote and directed The First Time starring Britt Robertson and Dylan O’Brien, and In the Land of Women starring Meg Ryan, Adam Brody and Kristen Stewart. He also wrote for two of my favorite childhood shows — Dawson’s Creek and Freaks and Geeks. Kasdan is represented by WME.
And now it looks like the Indiana Jones movie will be delayed...
It was looking like Indiana Jones 5 would be Steven Spielberg’s next film, but now the director’s dance card has changed. We reported earlier today that Jonathan Kasdan was replacing David Koepp to write the screenplay, and it looks like while those changes are happening, it’s going to take a little longer for Indiana Jones to return to theaters.
According to Variety, “filming was supposed to begin in April of 2019 in the United Kingdom, but sources close to the production say that shooting will no longer start next spring and will have to be pushed back by months, if not a year,” because the lead creatives aren’t happy with the current state of the script. However, Spielberg and star Harrison Ford remain committed to a fifth outing with Indiana Jones.
Where this leaves Indiana Jones 5 is in a bit of limbo since we don’t know when the script will be ready, and while Disney hasn’t officially changed the date yet, I have to imagine that will be coming sooner rather than later if the crew has already been informed of the delay on the project.
For his part, Spielberg is likely to turn his full attention now to West Side Story. Variety reports he’s on pre-production of the remake of the musical. Personally, I feel like this is the better decision for everyone involved. Indiana Jones is a risky proposition, so you may as well try to make sure you get the script right before filming, and West Side Story could use a bit of an update (I love the original, but it is a bit cringeworthy to see the whitewashing of the Puerto Rican characters). Spielberg also has given up The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara with Mark Rylance. As for Ford, he’ll next be heard as part of the voice cast of The Secret Life of Pets 2.
No, no need to worry. So far what is confirmed is the following: Indy wont die. And of course Shia wont be in it.
