When Lucasfilm announced that Harrison Ford would don his iconic bullwhip and fedora one last time in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” fans immediately began to speculate about the future of the “Indiana Jones” series. Few franchises are so synonymous with a single actor, but in an era where no I.P. is ever truly dead, many wondered if Disney had plans to pass the baton to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who plays Indiana Jones’ goddaughter in the upcoming film.
James Mangold is sick of that speculation. The filmmaker, who takes over for Steven Spielberg as the director of “The Dial of Destiny,” wants fans to know that Harrison Ford is irreplaceable. In a reply to a since-deleted tweet from a fan asking if Waller-Bridge would be leading the franchise, Mangold went on a lengthy rant about fans spreading misinformation about his film.
“One more time. No one is ‘taking over’ or replacing Indy or donning his hat nor is he being ‘erased’ thru some contrivance,” Mangold wrote. “And he never was, not not in any cut or script — but trolls will troll — that’s how they get their clicks.”
He continued: “And please don’t exhaust me pointing out how once in a while a troll is ‘right.’ Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now & then. All one has to do is look at set photos & interviews & u get enough info to make wild guesses about a movie plot.”
Mangold went on to explain that his main grievance isn’t with the false information, but with cynical voices trying to monetize fans’ outrage over something that isn’t even happening.
“The diff between trolling a-holes & everyone else is they r trying to make $ off your feelings about other films & culture war politics,” he wrote. “They push controversial guesses as coming from ‘sources’ to gin up clicks. Let it go.”
While it sounds like there are no plans for anyone other than Harrison Ford to lead an Indiana Jones movie, Disney is reportedly developing a TV series set in the world of the iconic adventure franchise. No plot or casting details about that project have been revealed.
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is scheduled to open in theaters on June 30, 2023.
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