Sorry folks (and by folks, I mainly mean Harrison Ford), but it appears that the long-awaited “Indiana Jones 5” is getting delayed…yet again. So, all that talk recently about the film starting production this summer doesn’t seem like it’s going to actually pan out. But for Disney, moving “Indiana Jones 5” is just one of the major moves the studio announced today.
According to THR, Disney has decided to delay “Indiana Jones 5,” “Jungle Cruise,” and “Mulan” in an attempt to figure out what to do in light of the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down productions and cinemas for the foreseeable future. The result? Fans are going to have to wait quite a while longer for some of the bigger films in the studio’s slate.
“Indiana Jones 5,” which is no stranger to delays, has now been moved from its July 9, 2021 date to July 29, 2022. That means we are still more than two full years away from Harrison Ford’s upcoming return to the big screen with his fedora and whip. Add a bit of interest to that move (or perhaps fear for people wondering how long Ford has left in him to physically play the character), the actor will celebrate his 80th birthday just two weeks before the film’s release.
Also moving is “Mulan,” which was supposed to be released last month and will now arrive in theaters on July 24 of this year, proving that even the Mouse House is optimistic that theaters will be back to relative normalcy by mid-summer. We’ll just have to wait a bit longer and see if that’s just wishful thinking or a savvy business decision. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s “Jungle Cruise,” which used to have the July 24 spot, is now being delayed a full year and will arrive in theaters on its new date of July 30, 2021.
And finally, it appears Disney isn’t super bullish about July, as the film that was scheduled to open on July 3, Ryan Reynolds’ action-comedy, “Free Guy,” is vacating that spot and being pushed until December 11 of this year. So, it’s clear that Disney suspects that July is still a tipping point for when theaters will be able to handle a brand-new blockbuster.
As for the Marvel Studios and various other Disney projects scheduled for 2020, we have covered those in other posts. Mark your calendars accordingly.
