Steven Spielberg reveals production start date for next Indiana Jones film

CULVER CITY, CA - JUNE 10: Actor Harrison Ford (L) and AFI Board Member Steven Spielberg pose in the audience during the 38th AFI Life Achievement Award honoring Mike Nichols held at Sony Pictures Studios on June 10, 2010 in Culver City, California. The AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Mike Nichols will premiere on TV Land on Saturday, June 25 at 9PM ET/PST. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI)
CULVER CITY, CA - JUNE 10: Actor Harrison Ford (L) and AFI Board Member Steven Spielberg pose in the audience during the 38th AFI Life Achievement Award honoring Mike Nichols held at Sony Pictures Studios on June 10, 2010 in Culver City, California. The AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Mike Nichols will premiere on TV Land on Saturday, June 25 at 9PM ET/PST. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI) /
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(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI)

It wasn’t long ago that Harrison Ford brought back Han Solo, one of his most iconic characters, to the big screen, in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Now, perVariety, we have a better idea of when the 75-year-old actor will resurrect another of his classic characters: Indiana Jones. Steven Spielberg, who directed the first four Indiana Jones movies, broke the news at the Rakuten TV Empire Awards in London this past Sunday, where he was on hand to accept a Legend of Our Lifetime award:

"It’s always worth the trip when I get to work with this deep bench of talent coming out of the UK. The actors, and the crew, the chippies, the sparks, the drivers — everybody who has helped me make my movies here, and will continue helping me make my movies here when I come back in April 2019 to make the fifth Indiana Jones movie right here."

Disney announced the film’s existence in early 2016, with Ford returning to the role he originally made famous in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. The as-yet-untitled film will also see producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall return to the franchise.

Audiences last saw Indiana Jones in action in 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; there’s no word as of yet if franchise vet George Lucas will return to the series he and Spielberg created together.

Either way, Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn sounded thrilled. “It’s rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn’t be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven,” he said. The first four films in the series have made over $2 billion, so it’s no wonder he’s into this.

Given that Indiana Jones has already fought Nazis, Communists and freaky cults, one has to wonder who’s left to punch? Let’s just hope Mutt doesn’t show up.

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