Indiana Jones might be the latest iconic pop culture relic to tap a female hero in an effort to successfully haul itself into the 21st century. Steven Spielberg, the 71-year-old director of all four Jones movies, told The Sun he thinks the lead should become "Indiana Joan" next time around.
Spielberg said he's “pretty sure” the still-gestating-but-for-sure-happening fifth film will be the last for Ford, 75—though Spielberg has confirmed he won’t kill Ford off at the end. The director is confident the franchise will continue long after Ford’s exit, and he spoke on the idea that it's time Indy “took a different form.”
“We’d have to change the name from Jones to Joan. And there would be nothing wrong with that,” Spielberg said. Ah yes, the time-honored tradition of someone's last name...indicating their sex?
Indiana Jones has maintained a relatively classic construction so far: not only has it maintained the same director in Spielberg, but it's also kept its hero as Harrison Ford. The next chapter was confirmed back in 2016 but won't bow till 2020.
Raiders of the Lost Ark launched the adventure saga and its classic hero in 1981. Two more movies came in relatively quick succession; in 2008 came the revival box office hit Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Spielberg’s most recent film, Ready Player One, just debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. and has already made over $186 million internationally.
Spielberg also told The Sun about prioritizing equal pay for his actors and actresses. He insists Ready Player One stars Olivia Cooke and Tye Sheridan were paid the same. In The Post, the director’s previous film, which was also nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards this year, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep “got the same paycheck exactly, right down to the perks.”
