'Indiana Jones 5' News Update: Is Bradley Cooper the Next Indiana Jones?

Bradley Cooper is rumored to be in the next Indiana Jones film.

After a months of speculation about whether or not the fifth Indiana Jones film would happen, it seems the project is moving forward but without Harrison Ford. According to Latino Review the studio was looking a potential actors to play the iconic character and that Cooper was the top choice for the role.

The site also suggested that the film would be a reboot but instead a recasting in the vein of the James Bond franchise. However the speculation seems highly improbable given the route the franchise took in 2008 when Steven Spielberg directed the fourth film and gave the character a son, which was played by Shia LaBeouf.

However perhaps the studio is looking for an older version of LaBeouf's character to continue the personage's story arc. However it is too early to know what Spielberg and his team intends to do with the series.

Cooper has not been featured in an action role as of late. He has been seen in "American Hustle" and "Silver Linings Playbook" and worked in other dramatic roles. However he has worked on a franchise. That was "The Hangover" series but that one did not require a vast amount of action sequences. Cooper's agents or spokespeople have yet to comment on the rumors. 

The site however suggested that the studio is looking at other candidates. There have been rumors as well that Frank Darabont pitched a couple of ideas about the story. However these are just rumors and there is not even a script written.

The next question people will also wonder about is who will direct the film. Spielberg has been responsible for making the first four installments but he has not given any sign of wanting to direct the next installment. However he recently abandoned two projects. He was originally set to direct "Roboapocalypse" and later left the project. Months later he signed on to helm "American Sniper" and even cast Cooper in the lead role. However he left the project. There was no explanation for leaving the two films but perhaps it could have been to work on Indiana Jones or take a break.

 Indiana Jones has been one of the most lucrative series in film history. The first installment "Raider of the Lost Ark" was released in 1981 and made $248 million at the box office. The film was even nominated for eight Academy Awards and won four. The second installment "Temple of Doom" was not as successful but still managed to pull in $179 million and also acquired the same critical acclaim.

The third installment "The Last Crusade" pulled in stronger reviews and made $197 million. These three installments were considered classics but the fourth installment paled critically with many pundits criticizing its story and characters. The film however still managed to open with $100 million and end its run with $317 million.

However after poor reception critically and many fans being disappointed, it is questionable whether a fifth installment will be successful. It is also interesting to see if the fanbase will return with a new Indiana Jones and if the same the enthusiasm will be present for the next installment.