INDIANA JONES 5 Director James Mangold Debunks Poor Test Screening Reports And Plans To Replace Indiana Jones

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released to mostly positive reviews back in 2008, something we're sure will surprise many of you. After all, it's widely considered one of the worst sequels ever made by fans of this franchise, with the disdain for the movie continuing to increase on a year-by-year basis. 

Now, the hope is James Mangold's Indiana Jones 5 can make up for that goofy sci-fi adventure, but will it also serve as a passing of the torch? We've known for a while that Harrison Ford will make his final appearance as the adventurer in the movie, possibly opening the door to a younger actor taking over. 

Taking to Twitter to debunk reports about poorly-received Indiana Jones 5 test screenings, Mangold made it clear that, on his watch, "No one will ever replace Indiana Jones." He'd go on to make it clear that the idea was, "Not in any script. Not in any cut. Never discussed."

It's thought that Chris Pratt was once being lined up to take over as the new Indiana Jones, though those plans were soon sidelined after widespread backlash. While Lucasfilm wants to do more with the franchise - hence why an upcoming spin-off will focus on Indy's mentor, Abner Ravenwood - it seems the idea of casting a different actor as the hero is off the table. 

What that means for the series beyond this final chapter is hard to say, though the studio no doubt still remembers the negative response to Alden Ehrenreich playing Han Solo despite the great work he put into that role. 

Ford played the part-time archaeologist for the first time 41 years ago in Raiders of the Lost Ark and later returned for every movie (and even The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles).

Indiana Jones 5 is set to be released on June 30, 2023.