After what feels like the world's longest development process, Indiana Jones 5 is officially in the can. Even better, cast news is slowly trickling out to get us even more excited about what's to come for our favorite archeologist. Not only did we get some great reunions with the cast and crew, but there's also new information about Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character in the long-awaited sequel.
Franchise producer Frank Marshall gave fans a sneak peak into Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s new character on Twitter while also sharing great cast photos. We already knew her character's name is Helena. However, it turns out she has a sentimental connection to Indiana Jones. Marshall revealed:
Indy and his goddaughter, Helena. #IndianaJones #IndianaJones5
This announcement confirmation came after the Indiana Jones 5 cast made an appearance at Disney's 2022 D23 Expo, a media event where Disney reveals information on movies, TV shows, theme parks and more. It's an exciting reveal and one that should make this story that much more personal. I'm already imaging the kind of banter that the two will have in the movie. During the hoopla, Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge got together for a photo opportunity that you can check out down below:
While that pic was cool enough, the pair of stars were joined by a few other notable Hollywood titans. Also present at D23 were Frank Marshall, producer and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and director/co-writer James Mangold. Check out the Indy crew in the group shot down below:
And if that weren't cool enough, there was also another reunion. Harrison Ford crossed paths with Ke Huy Quan (who played Short Round in Temple of Doom) decades after having worked together. Quan was a D23 promoting Loki Season 2, but it seems he had to meet back up with his co-star for a sweet photo. Check it out below, and try not to cry:
All of these pics are great, but there's just something about seeing a new face in the franchise. Since her massive success with the Amazon Prime series, Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been one of the most sought after writer/actors. She wrote the script for No Time to Die and starred in Solo: A Star Wars Story. She is currently writing another streaming series for Amazon and is attached to the John Krasinski directed film, Imaginary Friends. I love that she took time out of her busy schedule to garner fan excitement for the final installment in the action/adventure franchise. And I'm sure hanging out with Harrison Ford is a great bonus, too.
Disney also showed exclusive footage of the new Indiana Jones film to lucky attendees at the convention. It sounds absolutely incredible, with adventure and mystery being at the heart of the proceedings it seems. Based on such a terrific preview, it sounds like Indy 5 should be worth the delays. John Williams also recently debuted some of the score for the film, which is how the Helena's name was revealed. The track has a nostalgic and adventurous feel, something we tend to expect from Williams. Hopefully, the film delights longtime fans of the franchise as well as new viewers who have yet to see Harrison Ford's seasoned explorer in action. I'm pump for that first trailer and can't wait to see more of Phoebe Waller-Bridge as well.
Indiana Jones 5 is set to premiere on June 30, 2023. In the meantime, you can stream the four previous films with a Paramount+ subscription. For more information about films scheduled for release next year, you can check out our 2023 movie release schedule.
