Harrison Ford made a surprise appearance Thursday at the Lucasfilm panel at Star Wars Celebration to announce the “Indiana Jones 5” release date.
Ford, 79, took the stage to thunderous applause as composer John Williams and a live orchestra played the “Indy” theme, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Ford announced that the fifth installment will hit theaters June 30, 2023, saying he’s “really proud of the movie that we made.”
He also offered belated congratulations to Williams for his 90th birthday in February.
“It’s a special honor for me to be able to congratulate John on his 90th birthday,” Ford told the rapt audience. “I told John on another occasion that we had the chance to be together, and that music follows me everywhere I go. And you know what? I’m happy about it.”
Director James Mangold will helm the fifth film, replacing Steven Spielberg, who directed the first four “Indy” movies. Ford did not discuss any plot details during the announcement.
Originally, “Indy 5” had a July 10, 2020, release date. That was pushed back to July 29 of this year, but the COVID-19 pandemic and Spielberg’s work on “West Side Story” pushed it back even further.