Once we have cast our Indy and decided what world he’s going to occupy, we must take into account what sort of adventures he’s to have. The original three Indiana Jones films all concerned religion and religious icons: Indy went after the Ark of the Covenant (to protect it from Nazis), and the Holy Grail (also to protect it from Nazis). Temple of Doom, the outlier in the original trilogy, still deals with religion too, this time of the more ancient (and somewhat racist) variety. Crystal Skull did the same, although we had the unfortunate addition of aliens in the place of humanity or godly intervention. The power of religion, legend, and iconography was treated with great respect throughout each film, and the ones that are usually considered lesser entries (Temple of Doom and Crystal Skull) are the ones that most departed from that winning formula.
So, what would be another winning formula for this Indiana Jones reboot? The series has not yet exhausted Judeo-Christian iconography, and was really at its best when not attempting to deal with religions or myths outside of that construct. Some of this has to do with obvious reference points for a mainstream western film audience – the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail are both recognizable tropes and need little explanation for their significance. I think it would do well to keep with what has worked best in the past, and find an archaeological marvel, infused with religious and legendary significance, for our new Dr. Jones to investigate.
Much has been made out of the possibility of an Atlantis narrative, but that to me has much the same ring as the “aliens and Mayan temples” storyline of Crystal Skull. Jones is an archaeologist, yes, but he’s also a religious scholar and has great respect for history, even if he sometimes robs sacred places.