Indiana Jones Likely Heading for Long Hiatus After Box Office Disappointment

The whip and fedora won’t be cracking back into cinemas anytime soon. The future of Indiana Jones has been put firmly on pause following the underwhelming reception of its most recent film, according to longtime Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy.

In a new interview with Deadline, Kennedy confirmed that while the iconic archaeologist may never be permanently retired, there are currently no plans to revive the character on screen.

“I don’t think Indy will ever be done,” Kennedy said. “But I don’t think anybody is interested right now in exploring it.”

A sequel made for Harrison Ford

The latest installment, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, arrived in 2023 and was positioned as a final farewell for Harrison Ford’s legendary character. However, the film struggled both critically and commercially, becoming a costly disappointment for Disney and Lucasfilm.

Kennedy revealed that the sequel only happened because Ford himself was eager to return.

“Harrison wanted to do that more than anything,” she explained. “He did not want Indy to end with the fourth movie. He wanted a chance at another, and we did that for him. I think that was the right thing to do.”

Big budget, smaller returns

Dial of Destiny followed 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, a film that earned more than $700 million worldwide but was widely criticized by fans.

The 2023 sequel went even bigger in scale, introducing time travel and a bold finale that sent Indiana Jones back to 214 BC. It also teamed Ford with Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena Shaw, Indy’s goddaughter.

Despite a reported production cost of around $419 million—making it one of the most expensive films ever produced—the movie earned only about $384 million globally, falling short of expectations.

Ford: “I have no regrets”

Ford later brushed off the financial disappointment with characteristic calm.

“S*** happens,” he said in 2025, adding that he was still glad he made the film.
“I felt there was another story to tell. I wanted one more chance to pick him up, shake the dust off his ass, and see what happened.”

A legendary legacy

The franchise began with Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Steven Spielberg, and went on to produce beloved classics like Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade.

For now, Indiana Jones’ cinematic journey appears to be over—at least for the foreseeable future. Whether the character eventually returns in a new form remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Hollywood isn’t ready to dig up Indy again just yet.