Mads Mikkelsenhas almost become the go-to actor for any major franchise currently casting up right now, and it’s a testament to his talent and charm that everyone is A-OK with that. The Danish actor first broke out on the world stage inCasino Royale, but since then has added Marvel, Star Wars, and Hannibal Lecter to his resume in addition to continuing to churn out brilliant dramatic work in smaller films like the Oscar-winningAnother Round.
So it came as wonderful news when Lucasfilm announced that Mikkelsenwould be joiningthe cast ofIndiana Jones 5, starring oppositeHarrison FordandPhoebe Waller-Bridge. This is the firstIndiana Jonesfilm not directed bySteven Spielberg(although he’s still producing) asLoganandFord v. FerrarifilmmakerJames Mangoldis at the helm, and when Collider’s own Christina Radish spoke to Mikkelsen recently about his new filmRiders of Justice, the actor had high praise for theIndiana Jones 5script.
When asked what his reaction was to being approached to star in the newIndiana Jonesmovie, Mikkelsen revealed he recently went back and revisited Spielberg’s masterfulRaiders of the Lost Ark:
“I’m very, very excited about it… I rewatched Raiders of the Lost Ark the other day, it is so well-done and so charming, and it’s such great storytelling. So yes it’s a great honor to be part of that franchise that I grew up with… I’m in a lucky position where they let me read the script before. And yes, it was everything I wished it to be, so that was just great.”
The actor talked about being allowed to help create his character while also generally discussing how, in theIndiana Jonesfranchise, Ford plays the “straight man” to more colorful characters that surround him – possibly alluding to the opportunity to have some fun with his role:
“I do think I’m invited in to create a character, I think that everybody wants that. That’s why they pick certain actors that they think can come up with certain things, and it will be a collaboration as it always is. Interesting enough, again a little like Riders of Justice, there is kind of a genre mix in Indiana Jones always. There is something that is a little larger-than-life, almost back to the 30s with a Peter Lorre kind of feel, and then you have Indiana Jones who kind of is a straight man. But he does produce a lot of funny and interesting things, but there are different character genres in some of those films.”
Indiana Jones 5is currently casting up ahead of a production start this spring, and the film will be lensed by Mangold’s frequent cinematographerPhedon Papamichael. And in a bit of connective tissue to the previous four movies,John Williamswill return to compose the score.
