Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg are reuniting for a fifth ‘Indiana Jones’ movie

Indy is back. Disney has announced the return of Harrison Ford and longtime “Indiana Jones” director Steven Spielberg for a fifth “Indiana Jones” movie.

The studio that is now in possession of several treasured movie franchises announced that Spielberg “will helm the as-yet-untitled project with star Harrison Ford reprising his iconic role,” with the movie’s release set for July 19, 2019. Also along for the ride are longtime “Indiana” collaborators Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy (president of Lucasfilm), who will produce.

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Harrison Ford  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Ford, here with costar Kelly McGillis, earned his only Oscar nomination playing policeman John Book in 1985’s “Witness,” which won Academy Awards for original screenplay and film editing.  (Handout / Los Angeles Times archives)

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Ford plays CIA Agent Jack Ryan alongside costar Anne Archer, center, in “Patriot Games.”  (Paramount Pictures / Getty Images)

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Harrison Ford, left, receives the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award on Feb. 17, 2000, from director George Lucas, center, who cast him in 1973’s “American Graffiti” and “Star Wars,” and director Steven Spielberg, right, who directed Ford in the Indiana Jones films.  (Michael Caulfield / AP)

“Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history, and we can’t wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019,” Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn said in a news release. “It’s rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn’t be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven.”

The last Indiana Jones film, “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” positioned actor Shia LaBeof as the inheritor of the hat and whip. But tepid audience response may have dashed studio’s plans. The announcement of the new picture makes no mention of any actors other than Harrison Ford.

Noticeably absent from the news release? George Lucas. Looks like when he sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, he didn’t look back (or perhaps Mickey revoked his passes). Interesting.

MORE:

Steven Spielberg returns to Universal Pictures

Disney acquires control of future ‘Indiana Jones’ movies

Review: ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’