Proof that even the toughest, grizzliest heroes aren't immune to pain, Indiana Jones 5 is on hiatus following an injury Harrison Ford sustained on set. During rehearsals on the long-awaited sequel, the archaeologist supreme damaged his shoulder while practicing a fight sequence. Despite these physical setbacks, Ford is recovering and it appears the movie's production will carry on in his absence.
"In the course of rehearsing for a fight scene, Harrison Ford sustained an injury involving his shoulder," a Disney representative told Deadline in a statement. "Production will continue while the appropriate course of treatment is evaluated, and the filming schedule will be reconfigured as needed in the coming weeks.”
Production on the sequel is slated to keep pushing on, as director James Mangold "will continue to shoot around him," giving Ford the time he needs to recuperate. This isn't the first time Ford's experienced accidents on set. While shooting at Pinewood Studios for Star Wars: The Force Awakens his leg was broken by hydraulics, but, as evidenced by the final product his dalliance with danger didn't threaten the production.
Early location footage implies this sequel, some ten years in the making, features the return of the Nazis, who Indy fought in his earlier outings. Based on the glimpses at that footage – and rumors about the film's action-packed storyline – it's little surprise Ford's gone and hurt himself. With the movie already using de-ageing technology on the actor, perhaps they could use the same on his shoulder?
Taken in a bigger context, this delay is one of many to befall Indiana Jones 5. Work on the sequel began over a decade ago, following the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008, and continued to receive push back for various reasons. The most recent of which saw original helmer Steven Spielberg take a step back, allowing Mangold to take up the directorial duties. Spielberg still produces the movie along with Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel.
Indiana Jones 5 is currently due to arrive in theaters on July 29, 2022. Until then, check out our guide to all of 2021's upcoming movie release dates and our picks of the best Netflix action movies that you can stream right now.
