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Fortune and glory on small screen: Indiana Jones series in the works at Disney ahead of fifth movie

Will 'Guardians of the Galaxy' star Chris Pratt replace Harrison Ford as the titular character in the series?

The last Indiana Jones movie came out in 2008 and fans have been on a long wait ever since to see Harrison Ford reprise the iconic character. However, before of the release of the upcoming fifth Indiana Jones movie, Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company are reportedly considering a TV series set within the franchise, according to reports. 

That said, chances are Harrison Ford won't be in it. Speaking at D23 Expo earlier this year, Ford, due for his fifth appearance as the adventurer archeologist, made it clear that this would his final time picking up the fedora and whip. Joking with fans in attendance, the actor said, "This is it, I'm not falling down for you again!" So, what is cooking at the house of Disney? Read on to find out. 

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According to Variety, The Mouse House and Lucasfilm have been discussing the possibility of a streaming show set in the world of the globe-trotting archaeologist in general meetings with writers of late, sources say. They are still looking for a writer to take on the project, and no plot details are available as yet. Hence, it is unknown if the series would serve as a prequel to or spinoff of the film franchise, or if it would tie into the upcoming fifth movie, similar to how Disney has tied its Marvel shows on Disney+ into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If Harrison Ford is determined not to play the part anymore, who will replace him? The current consensus seems to be Chris Pratt. In a previous interview, Pratt spoke about the rumors and explained he is too afraid to even consider it.

When the question was asked by Happy Sad Confused podcast host Joshua Horowitz, Pratt said, "All I know is I once saw a quote from Harrison Ford and I don't even know if it was really him but it was enough to scare me, that was like, 'When I die, Indiana Jones dies.' And I'm like, am I gonna get haunted by the ghost of Harrison Ford one day when he dies if I play...?" 

Regardless, the untitled fifth Indiana Jones film is directed by James Mangold, with a script co-written by Mangold, Jez Butterworth, and John Henry Butterworth. It will be the final installment of the film series - the only one not directed by Steven Spielberg or written by George Lucas, although the former will serve as a producer instead. 

The film is scheduled for release in the Summer of 2023, following several delays caused by production setbacks.