In the midst of looking to cast Spanish-speaking actors for his WEST SIDE STORY remake, legendary director Steven Spielberg shared with The Hollywood Reporter that he plans to shoot what will be the fifth installment of the INDIANA JONES franchise in 2019 with the intention of releasing the film in 2020.
While the 71-year-old filmmaker certainly has a lot on his plate, right now, it's been said that it will take some doing before Spielberg plans to select the primary members of West Side's cast. With that in mind, we could all be looking at seeing Indy back up on the big screen sooner rather than later. In the meantime, casting notices were sent out on Wednesday, giving the man who gave us JAWS, producer Kristie Macosko Krieger and Broadway producer Kevin McCollum something to anticipate before the song-and-dance turf war remake starts to roll into production. It's also worth noting that, in the past, McCollum helped bring the Tony Award-winning musicals Rent, In the Heights, and Avenue Q to the stage. His expertise should certainly prove invaluable when crafting the re-imagined musical.
For now, Spielberg is looking to cast movie in an "ethnically authentic manner," according to THR. The decision to do so comes as a result of Latino activists vying for more prominent roles in major Hollywood films, not to mention that casting appropriately will lend credence to the story of two love-torn lovers from opposite ends of a 1950s New York.
Keep it close for more news on both WEST SIDE STORY and INDIANA JONES 5 as it happens. In the meantime, why not check out the 1961 Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise-directed adaptation of the gang violence and sweet dance moves musical starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, Simon Oakland and Ned Glass?