1/26/2018

Steven Spielberg Starts 'West Side Story' Casting, But 'Indiana Jones 5' Comes First


Steven Spielberg is not a man without options, and last week we learned he was eyeing West Side Story and Indiana Jones 5 as is next projects. And considering his speed, especially of late, there was always the chance he could even add one more. Well it seems he's made a decision on what comes next, and Harrison Ford might want to start getting into fighting form.

THR reports that Indiana Jones 5 is next on Spielberg's to-do list, with production eyed to kick off in 2019. That's well in line with the sequel's release date on July 10th 2020. Can I say something, though? I know a lot of people are excited about this, but we were just as thrilled before Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which also has Spielberg's name on it. Does anybody remember that movie fondly? All I'm saying is to please temper expectations, especially since Indy 5 will have the same screenwriter in David Koepp.

Meanwhile, Spielberg is taking early steps on the classic musical, West Side Story, with a casting call sheet revealed by journalist Mark Harris. His husband, playwright Tony Kushner, will be writing the script so he would know. The familiar characters of Tony, Maria, Bernardo, and Anita are available for somebody out there looking for their break, because I'm guessing Spielberg won't be going for big names on this one. He'll be looking for whoever can best fit the role, and it's a process he takes extremely seriously. Remember that he recently dropped The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortaro as his next film because he couldn't find a Jewish child he liked for the lead role.