Indiana Jones 5 writer says Steven Spielberg quit as director because his ideas ‘didn’t work'

David Koepp praised Spielberg for his ‘gracious’ decision

Steven Spielberg stepped down as director of Indiana Jones 5 due to trouble behind-the-scenes, it’s been revealed.

In February 2020, the filmmaker announced he would not be overseeing the project as he wished to pass the character's legacy on “to a new generation”.

However, screenwriter David Koepp has admitted creative differences over the script also inspired the move.

“I tried a couple different versions with Steven and they all had some good stuff about them and they all had some stuff that didn’t work, which happens,” he told Den of Geek.

“But, it was just very hard to have everybody come together all at once and have all the elements – Steven, Harrison [Ford], the script and Disney. And it didn’t.”

Koepp admitted that the scriptwriting process eased up once Spielberg decided to quit as director. 

Logan and Walk the Line’s James Mangold was announced as his replacement.

“When James Mangold came in and Steven stepped out, that was a pretty logical breaking point,” Koepp said.

“It’s a gracious time to step out the door because I think the last thing a new director wants is the old director’s writer.”

Spielberg has said he will remain on board as a “hands on” producer of the film. It will be the first ever Indiana Jones film to be directed by someone else.

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Following the sequel's announcement, many fans were left questioning the necessity of another follow-up considering the lukewarm response to 2008's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Ford, 78, will reprise the role once again.