Adventure… Excitement… Humor… Romance. These qualities are inextricably associated with Disney storytelling, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and they immediately come to mind when you think about another beloved movie franchise—Indiana Jones. The iconic hero first hit the big screen in 1981 in Raiders of the Lost Ark, portrayed by Harrison Ford and directed by Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg. His daring exploits continued in subsequent movies: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. And today The Walt Disney Studios announced that Indiana Jones will return to the big screen on July 19, 2019, for a fifth epic adventure in the blockbuster series! Steven Spielberg, who directed all four previous films, will helm the as-yet-untitled project with star Harrison Ford reprising his iconic role. Franchise veterans Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will produce.
“Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history, and we can’t wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019,” said Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “It’s rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn’t be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven.”
Disney fans have embraced Indy since the opening of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney-MGM Studios in 1989, and the thrills have only become more, well, thrilling with the addition of Indiana Jones-themed attractions at Disney parks around the world.
Disneyland Paris was the first Disney park to translate the on-screen excitement to real-life exhilaration with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, which opened July 30, 1993. Some Disney fans might even remember that the ride ran backwards for a time, from April 1, 2000 until December 3, 2004! Guests of the Disneyland Resort began asking, “Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?” on March 3, 1995, with the opening of Indiana Jones Adventure in Adventureland; and Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull made its Tokyo DisneySea debut on September 4, 2001, in the Lost River Delta area.
The newest way that a Disney parks guest can channel his or her inner Indy is to take a break at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar at Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort. The bar opened in September 2015 and is named for Indy’s pilot and sidekick, Jock Lindsey. Since we didn’t have a lot of time to get to know Jock in Raiders of the Lost Ark—it was about a minute, according to our friends at the Disney Parks Blog—the talented folks from Walt Disney Imagineering developed a fun backstory that turned Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar into as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the taste buds.
More details will be announced later, and D23 will be bringing all the news your way as it breaks. So hang on to your fedora and keep an eye out for snakes—Indy will be back before you know it!
