Steven Spielberg Had Specific Advice For Indiana Jones 5 Director James Mangold

When the trailer for "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" dropped, fans were elated to see Harrison Ford step into the role of the Nazi-punching professor/archeologist once again. Fist-fights, running around in trains and ancient caverns — aesthetically, the trailer certainly nailed the look and feel of a proper "Indiana Jones" flick, but look closer, and you might see some stylistic flourishes that are shiny and new. "Dial of Destiny" is the first "Indiana Jones" film to not be directed by the incomparable Steven Spielberg, but rather, James Mangold, the man behind "Girl, Interrupted," "Ford V. Ferrari," and "Walk the Line."

To add even more of a personal stamp onto his take on Indy, Mangold brought his regular cinematographer, Phedon Papamichael, along for the ride. Yes, there's some nostalgic familiarity to the imagery in "Dial of Destiny," but it's presented with a sense of introspection that evokes Mangold's work on "Logan." It makes sense, Harrison Ford allegedly was enthusiastic about the prospect of revisiting Indy at the end of his journey, so why not hire the man who concluded Hugh Jackman's journey as Wolverine with genuine sophistication?

According to SyFy Wire's coverage of the January 2023 issue of Empire magazine, Steven Spielberg was more "off and on" about the prospect of another "Indiana Jones" movie, but stayed on the project as an executive producer. He also provided Mangold with a great amount of wisdom he learned from making the first four films, and one nugget of advice felt crucial to Mangold:

"Steven said to me, It's a movie that's a trailer from beginning to end — always be moving.'"

The specific plot details are under wraps, but "Dial of Destiny" is set in the midst of the Cold War and the height of the Space Race in 1969. Professor Henry Jones Jr. is on his last legs teaching at Marshall College, and though he has aged significantly, there's a call to adventure out there. Joined by his goddaughter, Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), the duo will fight Nazis who have integrated themselves into society through a real-world event, Operation Paperclip, and eventually battle over possession of the titular artifact sought out by ex-Third Reich leader, Voller (Mads Mikkelsen).

A stacked cast, an interesting concept, and a more than capable director taking over the helm — it all seems like a recipe for success so far. However, the mark Spielberg has left on the franchise is extremely foundational. I'd argue that more than any other franchise from this era of Hollywood, "Indiana Jones" is centered on pure craftsmanship and spectacle first.

"Star Wars," the older sister Lucasfilm property, has a deep and rich lore that inherently gives its colorful universe much more potential for expansion. But, "Indiana Jones" is a riff on pulp adventure serials that George Lucas and Spielberg loved. It's one man surrounded by imaginative set pieces. None of the self-referential nostalgia that defines "Star Wars" can substitute the thrill and sometimes extremely personal stamp Spielberg left on "Indiana Jones."

Even though doing "Indy" without Spielberg is an uphill battle, we remain optimistic that Mangold has enough tricks up his sleeve outside of imitating the franchise's past. The first trailer is designed to bring those nostalgic fans back on board, but Mangold has had enough success in various projects to warrant good faith and trust.