Shia LaBeouf Talks ‘Indy 5’

Although Transformers actor Shia LaBeouf won’t be returning for the Hasbro franchise’s inevitable fourth onscreen outing—and neither will director Michael Bay—the 25-year-old actor is planning to reprise the role of Mutt Williams in a fifth Indiana Jones film.

In an interview with MTV promoting Transformers: Dark of the Moon at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards, LaBeouf said that a sequel to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull “is not so far off,” and that series’ veteran star Harrison Ford is staying in peak physical condition for when he is called upon to don Indy’s trademark fedora and leather jacket once again.

“I talked to Harrison Ford,” LaBeouf said in the interview, which you can watch here. “He said he's staying in the gym, he said he’s heard no word, but he does know that George [Lucas] is out there looking for a MacGuffin.”

Let me come right out and say it. Yes, I was very complimentary of Crystal Skull when it was originally released. Maybe I was riding high on the incredible wave of Indiana Jones nostalgia that had overtaken many of us the summer of 2007, but I didn’t want to believe that Lucas, Spielberg and Ford had screwed up. Unfortunately, I bought the DVD later that year, and came to realize that Crystal Skull didn’t need to be made and never justified its existence with a compelling narrative. Nowadays, I can’t watch it for more than 20 minutes before I feel the need to turn it off or change the channel.

Bellyaching aside, LaBeouf as Indy’s rebellious son was the least of the film’s problems, so his return to the series doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I’m more bothered that Lucas and Spielberg think they have another Indiana Jones tale worth telling. If the last film is any indication, as Indy himself might say, this franchise belongs in a museum.

Indiana Jones 5 Is “Progressing”

In a recent interview with the BBC, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen star Shia LaBeouf said that director Steven Spielberg has “cracked the story” for a fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise. The last sequel, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), featured LaBeouf as Indy’s son, Mutt Williams, who may or may not headline future installments once Harrison Ford hangs up his fedora and whip.

Fueling sequel speculation is producer Frank Marshall, who told Empire that Spielberg and series co-creator George Lucas are in the early stages of developing Indy 5. However, he says, nothing is “cracked” just yet.

“It’s really about the script,” Marshall said. “Once we see that, we’ll see. We’re not going to wait another 20 years. We’d all love to make another one. I’m anxious to hear the idea!”

He added, “We had a great time making the last one and, as Harrison said, we need to make this one soon. We're not getting any younger.” Ford will be 67 in July.

Further confirming that a sequel is in the works was a June 18 post on his Twitter page, in which Marshall wrote, “The story for Indy 5 is progressing. It is still in the research phase.”

Now, I don’t hate Crystal Skull. In fact, if you read my review last summer, I pretty much liked it when it hit theaters. However, unlike its predecessors, it doesn’t stand up to repeated viewings all that well. So why make another one? According to Box Office Mojo, Crystal Skull earned nearly $800 million worldwide during its theatrical run. I’d say that explains it.