Indiana Jones 6 could happen – but it probably won't
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Indiana Jones 6 hasn't been confirmed by Lucasfilm and Disney, but some Indy fans might think that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny isn't the end we thought it was.
The new movie ends with a shot of Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) picking up his fedora before the screen cuts to black. It's an ending that, for some, could suggest that this isn't the final adventure.
However, we're pretty sure that this actually is the end, despite that final shot and even with the experience of other series having 'final movies' that didn't turn out to be the final one.
So here's why we think Indiana Jones 6 (probably) won't happen.
Will Indiana Jones 6 happen?
Arguably the biggest factor stopping Indiana Jones 6 from happening is Indy himself, Harrison Ford.
In April 2023 ahead of the release of Dial of Destiny, Ford confirmed that this is the end for him. "This is the final film in the series, and this is the last time I'll play the character. I anticipate that it will be the last time that he appears in a film," he explained.
Like Daniel Craig with No Time to Die, it appears as though Ford came back for one final adventure in order to complete Indy's story, something that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull didn't quite achieve.
"We're coming to the end of Indiana Jones's time on the planet, and I wanted to see a conclusion of his story that accommodated the reality of his age, and what that effect has on this person that we've come to know over the years," he told Digital Spy.
Of course, in this day and age, there's always the prospect of a recasting to continue the franchise, as unlikely as that might seem for a character as iconic as Indiana Jones.
If you're worried about that though, fear not: nobody else will play Indy.
Back in May 2022, producer Kathleen Kennedy told Vanity Fair that "we would never make Indiana Jones without Harrison Ford". She confirmed this in May 2023 by calling the new movie "Harrison's last entry".
"That's how we look at the Indy franchise. I mean, truthfully, right now, if we were to do anything, it might be in series television down the road, but we're not doing anything to replace Indiana Jones," she continued.
"This is it. It's five movies that Harrison Ford did. And Harrison is so specific and so unique to creating this role. We just… Steven [Spielberg] agrees, we just wouldn't do that."
So if Indiana Jones 6 won't happen, assuming that nobody changes their mind, will there be a future for the series, even without Indy?
Will Indiana Jones get a spin-off?
An Indiana Jones movie without Indy seems unthinkable, but there's always the possibility that a future movie and/or TV show could be set in the same world and follow characters established in the series.
In November 2022, it was reported that an Indiana Jones TV show was in development for Disney+, but we've not heard anything since. Even if it does happen, Ford has already said that he "will not be involved".
It's unclear if the TV show is still in development, so could there be a movie instead? The obvious candidate for a standalone movie would be Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Helena Shaw.
While the reports of Helena taking over the Indy mantle were, unsurprisingly, totally inaccurate, she does seem to have gotten a taste for archaeology by the end of Dial of Destiny, having shed her more criminal ways.
Waller-Bridge doesn't seem against the idea, telling Vanity Fair in June 2023: "There's no replacing Indiana Jones in any way. But I feel like the character herself – she did feel fresh on the page, and there is a sense of, is there room in the world for someone like this?
"So I do think there's room for a slightly clumsier, bruised, limping female action star, maybe, in the future."
It's possible she's referring to creating a different character entirely and nothing to do with Helena or the Indiana Jones series. But Kennedy appears keen to work together again with Waller-Bridge in the future, so you can't rule it out yet.
Right now, there's been no confirmation one way or the other about the future of the Indiana Jones series. It's likely that nothing will happen anytime soon, even if a spin-off of some kind is confirmed.
So you might want to make the most of Indy's final adventure as it could very well be the end.
For more Indiana Jones 5 coverage, check out:
• Indiana Jones 5 review
• How long is Indiana Jones 5?
• Is Karen Allen's Marion in Indiana Jones 5?
• When will Indiana Jones 5 be on Disney+?
• Does Indiana Jones 5 have a credit scene?
• Indiana Jones 5 reveals the fate of Shia LaBeouf's Mutt
• Indiana Jones 5 ending explained
• The 'true' story behind Indiana Jones 5
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is out now in cinemas. All the other Indiana Jones movies are on Disney+.
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