In a bit of casting news that is both delightful and head scratching at the same time, Deadline is reporting that multiple Emmy winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge will officially be co-starring in the upcoming fifth entry in the Indiana Jones franchise, alongside the man himself, Harrison Ford. The news comes following the confirmation during the last Disney Investors Presentation that the James Mangold-directed Indiana Jones 5 was still happening despite COVID-related setbacks.
This will be the first Indiana Jones film not directed by Steven Spielberg, who will instead be in the producers chair alongside Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel. John Williams is back as composer, because would it really be an Indiana Jones movie without him? The real question is of course what kind of role it is that Waller-Bridge would be playing. To which we can only say: Please do not have this woman romancing a 78-year-old Harrison Ford. Nobody needs to see that.
Waller-Bridge has been on a critical tear for the last few years, as her starring BBC/Amazon series Fleabag swept through the 2019 Emmy Awards, netting her awards for Best Actress and Best Comedy Series. At the same time, Waller-Bridge is also the executive producer of the BBC’s Killing Eve, and contributed to the script for the ever-delayed James Bond installment No Time to Die. She’s even previously appeared in a LucasFilm work, having voiced the droid L3-37 in the Star Wars film Solo. Other upcoming projects include co-starring with Donald Glover in Amazon’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith series, where she will again wear multiple hats as a producer and writer. Truly, Waller-Bridge embodies the modern creative renaissance woman.
Which is to say: We can only assume that she wouldn’t sign on to a film like Indiana Jones 5 just to be Harrison Ford’s 40 year younger romantic partner. Let’s assume another great role for Waller-Bridge is forthcoming. We’ll bring you more news on Indy 5 as it breaks. The film is currently scheduled for release on July 29, 2022.