When Indiana Jones 5 finally swings into theaters in 2020, Shia LaBeouf won’t be a part of Steven Spielberg’s action-adventure sequel.
Word comes by way of Entertainment Weekly, after the outlet caught up with screenwriter and all-around franchise veteran David Koepp to discuss what’s next for Harrison Ford’s swashbuckling archaeologist, particularly after the markedly underwhelming Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Released almost a decade ago, Spielberg’s franchise revival didn’t fare particularly well with audiences, who deemed the wacky reboot to be a far cry from the blood-pumping Indy adventures of old. Mind you, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull did manage to score respectable reviews, while also introducing Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt Williams to the beloved franchise. Still riding high after his back-to-back performances in Transformers, LaBeouf was arguably one of the most sought-after rising stars of 2008, before his name was mired in controversy following a string of public meltdowns and altercations.
But those hoping that Shia LaBeouf would return for Indiana Jones 5, particularly after the endgame revelation that his Mutt Williams was, in fact, the son of Jones and Marion Ravenwood, may find themselves disappointed by Koepp’s comments.
Per EW:
Harrison plays Indiana Jones, that I can certainly say… and the Shia LaBeouf character is not in the film. We’re plugging away at it. In terms of when we would start, I think that’s up to Mr. Spielberg and Mr. Ford… I know we’ve got a script we’re mostly happy with. Work will be endless, of course, and ongoing, and Steven just finished shooting The Post… If the stars align, hopefully it’ll be his next film.
One would assume that LaBeouf has burnt his bridges with Speilberg and the team, too. Once the dust began to settle from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the three-time Transformers actor claimed that the action sequel “dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished.”
Indiana Jones 5 will see a release on July 10th, 2020, and when it does, Ford’s wisecracking archaeologist will be on the hunt for a “precious artifact,” according to Koepp. So far, so familiar.