Variety is doubling down on today’s earlier report about Jonathan Kasdan taking over the writing duties from David Koepp for Indiana Jones 5. According to their sources, not only is the report of Kasdan in as the new writer true, the change in writers (and accompanying new script) has forced the fifth film in the Indy franchise to be moved back from its scheduled July 2020 release date. In addition, filming is now expected to start at a much later date (it was originally scheduled to start in the UK in April of next year) with an adjusted schedule of a year later possible.
The fifth film in the adventure series will miss its original release date, Variety has learned. 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. Potential crew members have already been informed of the delay.
Part of the issue is that the key members of the creative team have yet to sign off on a finished script. Collider reported on Thursday that Jonathan Kasdan, son of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” scribe Lawrence Kasdan, has been enlisted to deliver a new draft. A deal has yet to close to bring the writer on board, but it looks as though he will soon join the project. David Koepp (“Jurassic Park”) took the first pass at the script. At one point, the fifth Indiana Jones was supposed to hit theaters in 2019.
While its not uncommon for a film to have its theatrical debut pushed back when a substantial member of the production crew has been changed, this delay would mark the second time Indy 5 has seen its release date changed to a later date.
If you recall, Indy 5 was announced with a July 19, 2019 release date when the official news came down from Lucasfilm back in March of 2016. That date was eventually adjusted to July 2020 in April of 2017.
The good news? Variety’s sources claim both director Steven Spielberg and lead actor Harrison Ford “remain committed” to the project.
