Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold recently vowed that he won't "replace" the movie's iconic protagonist with another character.
Responding to a fan on Twitter, Mangold insisted that there are no plans for Indy to pass the torch to a younger successor in the upcoming sequel. "No one will ever replace Indiana Jones," he tweeted. "Not in any script. Not in any cut. Never discussed." Harrison Ford has portrayed Indiana Jones ever since the character's debut in 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark. Although the fourth entry in the franchise, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, teased the idea that Jones' son Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) would assume his father's mantle, that film ends with Indy still in possession of his signature fedora and bullwhip. This paved the way for Ford to reprise the role once again in Indiana Jones 5, which will reportedly mark the 80-year-old star's final outing as the intrepid archeologist.
Aside from setting the record straight regarding Indy's supposed successor, Mangold also confirmed that Indiana Jones 5 has not yet held any test screenings, despite rumors to the contrary. That said, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker tweeted that fans can expect to get their first proper look at the hotly-anticipated sequel very soon. Asked when the Indiana Jones 5 trailer will drop, Mangold replied that it will arrive in less than 30 days. To date, the only footage from the film screened publicly was a brief clip shown at D23 Expo 2022. This footage shed little light on Indiana Jones 5's plot, nor did it reveal the movie's full title.
Indiana Jones 5 Recruits New and Familiar Faces
Something the D23 footage did confirm was the return of fan-favorite character Sallah, who is portrayed once more by John Rhys-Davies. Davies first played Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark and later reprised the role in 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The character is a long-time friend of Indy, and is a professional excavator based in Cairo. He remains popular with the Indiana Jones fanbase due to his gregarious personality and proven loyalty to Indy.
Indy and Sallah will be joined on their next adventure by franchise newcomer Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Producer Frank Marshall previously confirmed that Helena is Indiana Jones' goddaughter, while composer John Williams described her as "an adventurer and a femme fatale." All other information about Helena (including her parentage) remains under wraps for now, although it's possible the Indiana Jones 5 trailer will fill in at least some of the blanks.
Indiana Jones 5 arrives in theaters June 30, 2023.
Source: Twitter