Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director James Mangold has shut down rumors that Indiana Jones will be replaced in the newest installment of the franchise, stating Internet trolls made the claims. Before the fifth Indiana Jones movie trailer, rumors began circulating online that Phoebe Waller-Bridge's character, Helena, would replace Indy in the film. These claims were only strengthened when Dial of Destiny's trailer dropped on December 1, with some Internet users claiming the trailer substantiated the idea.
James Mangold took to Twitter to shut down rumors that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny would replace Indy with Helena. He stated that rumors surrounding the direction the film would go in were crafted by trolls online who were looking to generate controversy. Check out all of Mangold's tweets below:
What Dial Of Destiny Could REALLY Be About
The idea of having an adventure film icon like Indiana Jones get replaced by someone else clearly angers Mangold, his scathing remarks a sign that replacing Indy won't be the end goal of Dial of Destiny. With what little has been revealed about the film, it may be possible to guess what the movie will truly be about. Unlike previous Indiana Jones movies, the Dial of Destiny is not part of any mythologies, indicating it may be an artifact made up for the film. The presence of a de-aged Indy in parts of the trailers hints at the possibility that time travel may be linked to the Dial.
If time travel ends up being a key component of Dial of Destiny, it would explain the presence of a younger Indy in the trailer and make the movie one of Indy's most ambitious adventures yet. A time travel plot would give fans of the franchise memorable moments that harken back to the previous films while also telling a new story. It could also give Indy a proper, nostalgic sendoff without replacing him, instead celebrating the timeless nature of his adventures. While time travel could theoretically be used to replace Indy if utilized improperly, it doesn't sound like Mangold would pursue such a plot if Dial of Destiny does focus on time travel.
Helena's Real Role In Indiana Jones 5
If Helena isn't set to replace Indy in Dial of Destiny, then it's likely that her role in the film won't be a passing of the torch as Internet trolls may anticipate. Instead, Helena's presence could be used as a catalyst for the story, accompanying Indy on the journey because of possible shared interest in the Dial. Perhaps Helena will be shown walking in her godfather's footsteps, becoming an artifact hunter for the sake of their study and taking pointers from Indy throughout their adventure. Helena's identity in the film would then be crafted around being a new character in the Indiana Jones franchise instead of a future stand-in for Indy himself. Mangold's response is clear: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will not be dislodged by trolls, and he has no plans to replace the franchise's beloved adventure icon.
Source: James Mangold/Twitter
