Indiana Jones 5 Is Being Rewritten

By Jessica Scott | Updated

Harrison Ford Indiana Jones 5

Even though the film has already been given a release date and released a trailer, Indiana Jones 5 may be getting a different ending. According to Italian website BadTaste.it, music composer John Williams recently revealed that the filming hasn’t actually been completed yet, and that the ending is being rewritten.

John Williams composed the score for Indiana Jones 5 and made a speech at the famous La Scala theater in Milan to promote his work. In his words: “So we have just about completed the film. We have maybe another ending to shoot and to record, maybe in a couple weeks.”

It was not immediately clear why the ending is being rewritten and/or reshot, but Indiana Jones fans have already been worried about the ending to Indiana Jones 5. This is set to be Harrison Ford’s last ride as the famous archeologist/adventurer, and audiences are concerned about how things will end for the beloved character.

Rumor has it that there was a test screening of Indiana Jones 5 that ended in a bit of a catastrophe. A person who claims to have been in the audience reported that the film had several potential endings, all of which included Fleabag actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge taking up the mantle of the iconic character as the original Indiana Jones exited.

Understandably, many fans are strongly opposed to someone else taking over as Indiana Jones after so many decades of Harrison Ford’s heroic portrayal. However, Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold vehemently denies these rumors of Indy getting a replacement. He says that “No one will ever replace Indiana Jones.”

“Not in any script. Not in any cut. Never discussed.”

indiana jones 5
Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

While he does confirm that Indiana Jones 5 will be his last ride as the adventurous archeologist, Ford has also denied that Indiana Jones will be replaced by anyone. When asked if someone was going to take over as Indy, he said “no” repeatedly and asserted that most articles that claim otherwise are just clickbait.

Producer Kathy Kennedy also told Vanity Fair that the creative team would never make an Indiana Jones movie without Harrison Ford, which should presumably put fans’ minds at ease.

Indiana Jones 5, a.k.a. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, takes place in 1969, where our old pal Indy is getting nervous about the U.S. Government recruiting former Nazis to help beat out the Soviet Union and win the Space Race. One particular ex-Nazi in the moon-landing program has a maniacal plan to warp the world in his image.

This time, Jones is accompanied on his adventures by his goddaughter, Helena (Waller-Bridge), who shares his love of a good mystery and a bit of action.

Indiana Jones 5 also sees some pretty impressive de-aging of Ford in the opening sequence, which takes place in 1944, which was around the same time period as the first Indiana Jones film was set. 

Indiana Jones 5 will be hitting theaters on June 30, 2023, so we will have to wait until then to see just how the moviemakers plan to wrap up this epic, decades-spanning movie series, and perhaps even to find out why the ending had to be reworked.