It seems Disney now has a monopoly on some of the greatest pop culture icons of the last 60 years. Not only has the studio purchased Marvel and now ushered in a new age of Star Wars, but Disney CEO Bob Iger has now confirmed (once again) that more Indiana Jones movies will be coming.
In an interview with Bloomberg Business, Iger is discusses the focus on good storytelling as the key to Disney's recent successes with Marvel, Pixar and now Star Wars.
"It starts with great storytelling," Iger says. "That is the heart, really, of the company. It goes back all the way to 1923 when it was founded by Walt Disney and his brother Roy. It's all about storytelling, that's what creates the most value. In Pixar, we had some of the best storytellers in motion pictures and certainly the best in animation. We had in Marvel stories and characters, great storytelling. And obviously with George Lucas' Star Wars, and Indiana Jones by the way as well, which is coming, we have more great stories. I think in a world where there is far more content and intellectual property and much more choice, great stories still hold their value and actually stand out given all the choice people have."
Given Disney's huge success with Star Wars, success that Iger says has exceeded their expectations, it seems a no-brainer to resurrect George Lucas' other classic franchise. Much like Star Wars, Indiana Jones made a lackluster return in the 2000s after a nearly two decade hiatus with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Though Harrison Ford, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg all returned for the film, it left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans.
This isn't the first time it has been confirmed that more Indy is on the way, either. Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy told Vanity Fair over the summer that new adventures from the hero were coming, but that work had yet to begin on a script.
Disney then has the perfect opportunity to restore the franchise to its former glory, just as it has done with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It's still unclear if Harrison Ford would return as Indy for one more film or if a new actor would take the reigns of the franchise, but rest assured if it's going to make money (which it will), expect to see the iconic hat and bullwhip back on the big screen sooner rather than later.
