Indiana Jones originally had two creative fathers in Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, and Spielberg says that's "absolutely" not going to change with the forthcoming fifth Indy film.

"George is going to be an executive producer on it with me," the filmmaking icon told reporters on Monday during a press roundtable for his upcoming film "The BFG," when it was suggested that -- following the 2012 sale of the Lucasfilm properties to The Walt Disney Company and Lucas' reported retirement from producing films -- that Spielberg would make the recently announced fifth Indiana Jones film without his longtime friend and collaborator.

"Of course -- I would never make an 'Indiana Jones' film without George Lucas," Spielberg said. "That would be insane."

The two moviemaking legends first concocted the film that would eventually become "Raiders of the Lost Ark," the 1981 film that kicked-off the retro-flavored action franchise, while vacationing together in Hawaii during the 1977 release of Lucas' original "Star Wars." At the apex of their early Hollywood careers, they built out Lucas' notion of a movie serial-style adventurer into a boundary-pushing stunt-driven blockbuster under Spielberg's direction.

They also collaborated on each of the subsequent three sequels, and Spielberg promised that for the fifth outing, "George will be inputted in it."

The director also noted that, while Lucas was not directly involved in the production of last year's revival of the "Star Wars" franchise, his creative vision clearly informed the new film.

"George Lucas' fingerprints are on 'The Force Awakens,'" Spielberg pointed out, "because that movie is an homage to Episode[s] IV, V and VI -- a complete homage. George Lucas is all over 'The Force Awakens.' Lest we ever forget that."

The as-yet untitled fifth "Indiana Jones" film is scheduled for release on July 19, 2019.