Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director James Mangold denies reports that the film's ending is being re-shot. After first playing the character in 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford is set to hang up his fedora and bullwhip in Mangold's upcoming installment. Mangold takes over from original franchise director Stephen Spielberg for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, although Spielberg remains onboard as an executive producer. Plot specifics for the film remain under wraps, but it is expected to follow Jones as he faces off against Nazis once more, this time in 1969 with the Space Race as a backdrop.
After comments from composer John Williams suggested that a new Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ending was being filmed, Mangold now takes to Twitter to confirm that this is not the case. It's not clear if Williams is simply mistaken or if his comments were misinterpreted, but the director states that the film is now "99% finished." Check out Mangold's Tweet below:
​​​​How Dial Of Destiny Can Get Indiana Jones' Ending Right
As Ford's last time playing the iconic archeologist, there's a lot of pressure on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to nail the character's ending. The first trailer for the film has already teased that the adventure's tone might be more in line with the third film in the franchise, with equal doses of action, humor, and heart. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ends with Ford's character riding off into the sunset with Sean Connery's Henry Jones Sr., Denholm Elliot's Marcus Brody, and John Rhys-Davies' Sallah, a fitting last scene for the hero after so many adventures. Although Mangled's upcoming film is unlikely to feature this exact scenario, the essence of the scene can remain the same, with Indy ultimately earning a happy ending.
Of course, with the upcoming film set to feature a much older version of the hero, the film may also draw from its predecessor. The fourth film in the franchise, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, proved very divisive for fans upon its release in 2008, but it arguably did give Ford's Indy a strong ending. After they first met in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Karen Allen's Marion Ravenwood returns in the fourth film, and the adventure ends with the two characters finally tying the knot. Allen hasn't revealed whether she is returning for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, but it may be fitting to affirm that Ford's character is still happily married and that, when his adventuring days are done, he now has somebody to go home to at the end of the day.
It remains to be seen how Mangold's film will bid farewell to the iconic character, but it seems unlikely that it will end with Indy's death. Killing Ford's hero probably wouldn't suit the overall tone of the franchise, with each installment generally ending on an uplifting note that keeps the spirit of adventure alive. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny likely has a number of exciting surprises in store for fans, but, unfortunately, with its release date still about 7 months away, audiences have a long while to wait before their questions are answered.
Source: James Mangold
