Indiana Jones 5 Reportedly Lands Solo Writer Jonathan Kasdan

[Black Panther]

Solo: A Star Wars Story co-writer Jonathan Kasdan has reportedly signed on to write Indiana Jones 5. With Star Wars making headlines seemingly on a daily basis due to the state of uncertainty regarding the franchise's spinoffs, it's easy to forget Lucasfilm is in the process of bringing back their other major property. The studio has a fifth adventure for Dr. Henry Jones, Jr. on schedule for July 2020, with the dynamic duo of director Steven Spielberg and star Harrison Ford returning once again.

Production on Indiana Jones 5 is set to begin next spring, and there are currently a few pre-production tasks that need taking care of. Finding a supporting cast for Ford is chief among them, and now it looks like the screenplay is back on the to-do list. Originally, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull scribe David Koepp was on Indy 5, but that job has apparently found its way to someone else with Lucasfilm ties.

Collider reports Kasdan has been hired to replace Koepp on Indiana Jones 5. It's unknown if he's reworking Koepp's script (which was written back in 2016) or doing something entirely new. There are also questions regarding when Kasdan joined Indy 5, meaning he could have been on the project for a while and it's only coming to light now. For their part, Lucasfilm has remained silent on the matter.

Solo has the infamous distinction of being the first Star Wars movie to lose money, though that was due to circumstances largely outside of Kasdan's control. Lucasfilm held the Solo script in high regard, which is reportedly where some of the pesky creative differences with original Solo directors Phil Lord & Chris Miller came into play. The studio is obviously a fan of Kasdan's work, and wanted to continue their partnership. While not regarded as the greatest Star Wars movie, Solo still did a good job fleshing out Han Solo's backstory by way of an entertaining heist film, so Kasdan knows how to craft an old school tentpole. In fact, Alden Ehrenreich cited Indiana Jones as a template Solo sequels should follow, so it's only natural for Kasdan to write for the world famous archeologist next.

It remains to be seen what narrative Indiana Jones 5 sets out to tell, but there is a lot of pressure on the film to deliver. Crystal Skull was widely seen as a disappointment, and with this likely being Ford's final go-around as Indiana Jones (capping off an unofficial legacy sequel trilogy with Force Awakens and Blade Runner 2049), everyone involved wants to see him get the proper sendoff he deserves. Kasdan is no stranger to tough situations, as it surely wasn't easy writing Han Solo for a different actor. Hopefully, he's up for the challenge.