Next summer, Indiana Jones is returning to theaters for one last ride with Harrison Ford as the iconic character. But it might not be the last we see of the beloved archaeologist.
According to Variety, Lucasfilm and Disney are “actively looking to develop an Indiana Jones TV show for Disney+,” mentioning that the idea has been brought up in meetings with writers – though no writer has yet been hired for it. The report added that they are “currently exploring a number of options to keep the franchise going, which could mean a series, new films, other media, or a combination thereof.”
None of this is surprising, as it makes sense that the company would want to make as much as possible with one of the film industry’s most famous brands. What makes this interesting, then, is not the fact that these things are being explored but more so the question of how it would fit in. It has been made pretty clear that Indiana Jones 5 will be Harrison Ford’s last time wearing the fedora, so a show would likely be set in a different era. It actually wouldn’t be the first time something like that was tried, either. George Lucas developed the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, a show that aired from 1992-1993, and it focused on a younger Indy, played by both Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier (depending on the age of the character’s depiction).
It sounds like pretty much everything is still on the table at this point, with explorations including shows and/or films, trying to determine what the best way to proceed is with the character and the franchise. I think those are good conversations to have, and if nothing else this report sends the message that Lucasfilm and Disney are committed to furthering the franchise beyond Indy 5, which will hit theaters on June 30, 2023.
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