James Mangold's Indiana Jones 5 is expected to serve as the conclusion of Harrison Ford's time as the beloved adventurer, but what comes next for the franchise? It's hard to imagine it being shelved indefinitely, especially with Disney in charge (which has been the case since they acquired Lucasfilm several years ago).
Now, Mail Online has shared a very interesting rumour that we're sure at least some fans won't be happy about. According to the site, Phoebe Waller-Bridge is being eyed to take over from Ford as the new face of Indiana Jones. Apparently, she plays Indy's assistant in this fifth instalment, but the Fleabag star would then become the franchise's first female lead in future movies.
The site notes that, "Insiders claim Kathleen Kennedy, the Hollywood producer behind the franchise, is keen to make 'big, bold' changes – with few bigger than switching the lead character to a woman." One source adds, "It would be a huge statement, and a great role for Phoebe."
It's certainly an intriguing prospect; after all, the only other real option for the franchise is to either do a total reboot or head into the past with a new actor filling in some gaps in the character's history.
Replacing Ford would be no easy feat for an actor (we saw that in Solo: A Star Wars Story), so someone else taking centre stage makes sense. Waller-Bridge has received heaps of praise for her work behind and in front of the camera, so this could be a rumour that's well worth keeping an eye on.
How would you feel about this big change to Indiana Jones?