Mads Mikkelsen has officially joined the cast of the upcomingIndiana Jones5. Mikkelsen joins Harrison Ford, who will be reprising his role as the action hero archeologist, andJames Mangold will direct the film, with previous franchise director Steven Spielberg producing alongside Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.
Mikkelsen is a Danish actor who began his career in smaller films such as Nicholas Winding Refn’s brutal crime dramaPusher.Other notable roles include Bond villain Le Chiffre inCasino Royaleand Death Star scientist Galen Erso inRogue One: A Star Wars Story.Mikkelsen is perhaps best known for his role as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the NBC seriesHannibal.While the show only ran three seasons, it developed a fierce following, in large part due to Mikkelsen’s portrayal of the cannibal psychologist and his chemistry with fellow co-star Hugh Dancy.Mikkelsen was also recently cast as Grindelwaldin the nextFantastic Beastsfilm, replacing Johnny Depp.
RELATED:The Indiana Jones Movies Are Finally Getting The 4K Ultra HD Treatment
The currently untitledIndiana Jonessequelwill be the fifth film in the franchise (not including the short-livedYoung Indiana Jones Chronicles). Beginning in 1981 withRaiders of the Lost Ark,the franchise follows the adventures of Nazi-punching archeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr.,played byStar Warsicon Harrison Ford. Directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg and adapted from a story by his longtime collaborator and friend George Lucas, the first threeIndiana Jonesfilms were massive hits and have become staples of the action-adventure genre. The franchise helped launch Harrison Ford into stardom, and the special effects and stunt work have gone on to inspire and influence countless other films to this day.
Speilberg, Ford, and Lucas would all eventually return for a fourth installment nearly twenty years after the third film premiered. The fourth film,Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the CrystalSkull,featured an older Indy reuniting with his love interest from the first film, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), and their son Mutt (Shia LaBeouf). While the film received decent reviews, many longtimefans of theIndiana Jonesfranchise were criticalof certain elements that they felt betrayed the ethos of the previous films. In particular, Indiana Jones' using of a fridge to survive an atomic bomb, and the controversial reveal of “extradimensional” beings in place of the franchise’s previous use of religious mythology, came under fire.
Despite the lukewarm reception of the fourth installment, a fifth film has been in development for a while now. At one point there were rumors that a reboot was in the works with Chris Pratt replacing Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. There were even rumors that the fifth film would feature the fountain of youth, and that Harrison Ford would enter the fountain and come out as Christ Pratt, an image that will haunt me in my dreams forever.
Mikkelsen is just the latest actor to be cast in the nextIndiana Jonesfilm. It was also recently announced thatFleabagstar Phoebe Waller-Bridgewould be joining the cast as well. The English actress and writer co-penned the script for the upcoming bond filmNo Time To Dieand portrayed Lando Calrissian’s social justice-oriented droid “companion” L3-37. Plot details forIndy 5are unknown at this time, but the recent casting news is sure to have fans excited. Waller-Bridge and Mikkelsen are certainly carving out a nice space for themselves over at Disney and Lucasfilm, as they will now both be a part of theStar Warsgalaxy and theIndiana Jonesfranchise.
The currently untitledIndiana Jones 5is set to be released on July 29th, 2022.
