Indiana Jones 5 will likely be the last time we see Harrison Ford in the role of the famed adventurer, so Disney is naturally researching ways to keep the franchise going. According to Variety, Disney is “actively looking” to develop an Indiana Jones TV series for Disney+.
Disney has been looking for writers to develop the Indiana Jones TV series, so it’s unknown if the project would be a prequel or spinoff to the big-screen franchise, or if it might actually tie into Indiana Jones 5. As much as the idea of an Indiana Jones TV series might seem like sacrilege (or anything not involving Harrison Ford), this isn’t the first time the franchise has headed to the small-screen. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles aired on ABC from 1992-1993, with four made-for-TV specials following between 1994 and 1996. Each episode was bookended by George Hall as an elderly Indiana Jones reminiscing about his past adventures, with Corey Carrier and Sean Patrick Flanery playing the younger version of the character. Harrison Ford also made a cameo in one episode.
It’s still very early days for the potential Indiana Jones TV series, but we can at least look forward to Harrison Ford cracking that whip one more time for Indiana Jones 5. In addition to Harrison Ford, the Indiana Jones sequel also stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Boyd Holbrook, Toby Jones, Antonio Banderas, and Shaunette Renée Wilson. While Steven Spielberg had been expected to return to direct Indiana Jones 5, he stepped down in 2020, saying he wanted to “pass along Indy’s whip to a new generation to bring their perspective to the story.” James Mangold stepped in to replace Spielberg as director, and he also co-wrote the script with Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. Indiana Jones 5 will be released on June 30, 2023.
Would you like to see an Indiana Jones TV series?