Indiana Jones 5 In Trouble, Test Screenings Rated Abysmal
Rumor has it that Indiana Jones 5 test screenings are going poorly and Disney is in a panic.
Rumors are spreading that Disney has been test-screening Indiana Jones 5 and things have not been going well. YouTuber Overlord DVD made a full video detailing the rumors, saying that they have tested six different endings and the audiences haven’t liked any of them. Furthermore, the rumors say that Disney is in a panic over the screenings and that they’re worried the movie will bomb.
If the rumors are to be believed, Disney is even considering sending Indiana Jones 5 straight to the Disney+ streaming services. The rumors also say that Phoebe-Waller Bridge will be replacing Harrison Ford at the end of the movie, taking the torch as the new adventuring archeologist in town. Presumably, this would be a way to set up the franchise for further sequels with Ford ending his tenure as the character.
Indiana Jones 5 bombing would certainly spell the franchise’s doom, as audience opinion on the previous film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was heavily divided. The last thing anyone wants is for the franchise to get worse. Fans were likely hoping that Indy 5 would be a return to form, but now it appears this might not be the case.
Indiana Jones 5 is being helmed by James Mangold (Logan, Ford vs Ferrari) with a script by Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth. Harrison Ford will once again be reprising his role as Indy with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Boyd Holbrook, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Toby Jones, and Antonio Banderas all joining the cast. John Rhys-Davies is also returning to reprise his role as Sallah and John Williams is returning to score the film.
Indiana Jones 5 will be the first film in the franchise that isn’t directed by Stephen Spielberg and that doesn’t have a story by George Lucas. It’s definitely a big risk, but Steven Spielberg is at least on as a producer. Although it has been indicated that the franchise won’t end after this film, it is confirmed that Ford would no longer reprise the role and that he won’t be recast.
If both of the last points are true about Indiana Jones 5, then it would certainly lend authenticity to the rumor that Phoebe-Waller Bridge would be leading the franchise in the future as a new character. However, it appears that fans aren’t happy with how that all goes down. Rumors have indicated that there are versions of the ending where Ford’s Indy dies, so maybe that happens in an unsatisfying way.
Indiana Jones 5 will be the first LucasFilm movie outside of the Star Wars franchise since Disney acquired the company in 2012. The latest Star Wars films by Disney also heavily divided the fanbase, so maybe Indy 5 will be in a similar situation. If that happens, maybe Disney will opt to make more shows based on the Indy franchise, rather than more movies.
With that being said, the Indiana Jones 5 lore doesn’t go as deep as Star Wars, so there’s less potential to mine there. Hopefully, the rumors are either untrue or Disney is able to find a way to turn things around before the movie is released. One way or another, we should see the final product on its expected release date of June 30, 2023.
