Ford to return for fourth "Indiana Jones"

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By Gregg Kilday

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Nineteen years after chasing down the Holy Grail in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," Harrison Ford will return to the big screen in the character of the globe-trotting archaeologist in May 2008.

Producer George Lucas and director Steven Spielberg confirmed details of the project Monday after Lucas tipped off the media to Indiana Jones’ imminent return as he prepared to serve as grand marshal of the Rose Parade in Pasadena.

After years spent in script development, a fourth instalment of the hit franchise is set to begin production in June in locations around the world and in the United States. It will mark Spielberg’s next directorial outing.

"George, Harrison and I are all very excited," Spielberg said. "We feel that the script was well worth the wait. We hope it delivers everything you’d expect from our history with Indiana Jones."

In a statement, 64-year-old Ford said he was ready for another action-packed turn. "I’m delighted to be back in business with my old friends," he said. "I don’t know if the pants still fit, but I know the hat will."

Added Lucas: "These films are such great fun to make. I’m looking forward to reuniting with the team and starting this new journey."

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The film will be produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and released worldwide by Paramount Pictures, the parent company of DreamWorks, which Spielberg co-founded.

David Koepp, who has penned such previous Spielberg projects as "Jurassic Park" and "War of the Worlds," wrote the screenplay that finally got the stamp of approval from Lucas and Spielberg. An earlier screenplay by Frank Darabont was shelved when Lucas turned thumbs down on it.

Although a spokesman for Spielberg said Monday that no casting has begun, Lucas and Ford have said that they would like to include Sean Connery, who played Indiana Jones’ father, Professor Henry Jones, in "The Last Crusade." "We are writing him in whether he wants to do it or not," Lucas told "Access Hollywood" when Connery was honoured in June with the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award.

It also is not known whether the project will be shot digitally, like Lucas’ recent "Star Wars" movies, or on film, the medium Spielberg prefers.

"Raiders of the Lost Ark," the first film in the series, was released in 1981, followed by "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" in 1984 and "Last Crusade" in 1989. The three movies have earned 14 Academy Award nominations, seven Oscars and grossed more than $1.182 billion (602 million pounds) worldwide.

A release date was not announced, but the past two films in the series opened shortly before the Memorial Day weekend. Currently, the May 2008 line-up includes Paramount’s Marvel adaptation "Iron Man"; Disney’s "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian"; and Warner Bros. Pictures’ "Speed Racer."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter