Indiana Jones 5 | movie news, plot, trailer, cast, film spoilers

But it looks like Helena herself might not necessarily be the most reliable ally – with the trailer appearing to suggest that she has her own agenda. Meanwhile, we also see much more of Mads Mikkelsen’s chilling antagonist Voller, a former Nazi scientist working with NASA.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is set in 1969 and arrives fifteen years after the last entry in the franchise, 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released to rather a muted critical reception.

In addition to Waller-Bridge and Mikkelsen, it will also introduce a host of other actors to the franchise including Antonio Banderas, Thomas Kretschmann, Boyd Holbrook, Toby Jones and Shaunette Renée Wilson.

Without further ado, here is everything you need to know about Indiana Jones 5, including when you’ll be able to watch it in cinemas.

Indiana Jones 5 release date

After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday 18th May, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will be released in cinemas on 30th June 2023.

This will be three years later than originally hoped, 15 years since the release of the last film in the series (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) and more than four decades since the first entry in the franchise (Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Production officially started in June 2021 with a leaked on-set photo of Harrison Ford in costume as Indy causing quite a stir on social media

As Harrison Ford approaches his 80th birthday, fans have long speculated whether the actor would choose to retire from the demanding physical stunts of Indiana Jones – but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

In February 2020, producer Kathleen Kennedy said that Ford would indeed reprise the iconic role and that he “can’t wait” to do so, but it is quite possible this could be the final time he puts on that snazzy hat – and his involvement was officially confirmed in December of the same year.

In 2016, Disney boss Bob Iger alluded to the future of Indiana Jones beyond Ford’s involvement: “We’ll bring him [Harrison Ford] back, then we have to figure out what comes next.”

Plenty of new characters look to be joining the series for this film – with some very exciting names having been confirmed for the cast in as yet unspecified roles.

One of the first to be announced was Fleabag star and creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, although details about her character were kept under wraps.

The trailer introduces her character Helena as Indy’s goddaughter and a figure in the thick of the action.

Just a few days later it was revealed by Deadline, that Mads Mikkelsen would also be joining the cast. Although no official information about his character has been released so far, there are strong suggestions that the Danish actor could once again be taking on a villain – with one rumour circulating that he will play a Nazi scientist recruited by the US government.

What we do know for sure is that Mikkelsen is looking forward to the film, with the Hannibal star telling Collider before the shoot started that “I’m very, very excited about it.

He added, “I rewatched Raiders of the Lost Ark the other day, it is so well-done and so charming, and it’s such great storytelling. So yes it’s a great honor to be part of that franchise that I grew up with… I’m in a lucky position where they let me read the script before. And yes, it was everything I wished it to be, so that was just great.”

Later in April, The Wrap reported that German actor Thomas Kretschmann (Avengers: Age of Ultron) would also be joining the film, while in May, it was revealed that Narcos star Boyd Holbrook and The Resident’s Shaunette Renée Wilson had also landed roles.

Now, Antonio Banderas has been confirmed though there’s no news on who he will be playing – yet.

Meanwhile, it has also been heavily reported that Toby Jones will have a role in the film, after the Detectorists star was spotted on the set of the new film, supposedly as a new sidekick for Indy. Jones later appeared in the trailer.

Who is returning for Indiana Jones 5?

As for returning stars from previous instalments in the franchise, aside from Ford, we’re awaiting details on which former cast members could return for the fifth film in the series.

John Rhys-Davies, who played Sallah in Raiders and The Last Crusade will reprise his role in the franchise, but the Lord of the Rings actor had previously conceded that such a return was “unbelievable”.

“Well I keep sending signals that I’d love to be [involved] but I’m not on the mailing list at the moment” adding that, “Sallah is no longer a believable character given the history of the Arab world and the West since we did the first one.”

It does seem quite possible that Karen Allen will reprise the role of Marion Ravenwood, who of course married Indiana Jones at the end of the most recent film, making it unlikely that they would write her out of his story at this point.

That being said, Allen told Cinema Blend in 2018 that she is yet to be contacted about Indiana Jones 5, but would “love” to be involved with the project.

“I’m very much hoping that I will be a part of it and I think, from my understanding, they are creatively working away on a script that they will be happy enough with,” she said.

Allen added: “They have embarked on a whole new trajectory, I think. It’s a mystery to me what that is and it’s a mystery to me whether I will be part of it, but I’m hoping. I would love to be part of it.”

A popular fan theory suggests that Indiana Jones could reunite with his Temple of Doom sidekick Short Round (Jonathan Ke Quan) for his next movie, but this is no more than wild speculation at present.

Will Shia LaBeouf return for Indiana Jones 5?

The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was notable for introducing Transformers star Shia LaBeouf as Mutt Williams, the son of Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen).

Judging from a number of not-so-subtle hints dropped throughout the movie, it seemed that he was being groomed to take over the franchise, but those plans have since been abandoned.

Back in 2017, screenwriter David Koepp confirmed that LaBeouf’s character does not feature in the upcoming fifth entry, but it isn’t yet clear how Mutt’s absence will be explained.

James Mangold directs Indiana Jones 5

Indiana Jones 5 will be the first chapter in the series to be directed by someone other than legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who announced he was stepping down from the project in February.

In his place, James Mangold has been hired to helm the next movie featuring Harrison Ford’s charming adventurer, a choice which could offer some clues as to where the story is headed next.

After all, Mangold won the adoration of fans for his 2017 smash-hit Logan, which depicted the final days of Hugh Jackman’s violent Marvel superhero Wolverine.

While there’s little chance of Indy 5 being anywhere near as explicit or blood-soaked, it could share a similar narrative theme of an ageing icon going on one last hurrah.

That being said, Spielberg had previously promised fans that Indiana Jones would not be killed off in the fifth film, so going out in a blaze of glory might well be off the table.

Indiana Jones 5 trailer

The most recent trailer – and the longest to date – was unveiled at the Star Wars celebration in London on Friday 7th April 2023 – teasing a little more about the story and the relationship between Indy and his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). You can check it out below:

The first trailer was released at Brazil Comic-Con 2022 and featured Ford being digitally de-aged to appear younger in flashback sequences.

An additional trailer was released in December 2022, giving fans a look at Jones jumping back into action – albeit rather reluctantly – to travel the world and search for lost artefacts one last time.

The footage also features a bunch of other cast members, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen and Boyd Holbrook, as well as shots of a young Ford in the opening flashback sequence. Watch below:

A second trailer was unveiled during the Super Bowl on Sunday 12th February 2023, giving fans a look at a tense encounter between Indy and the movie’s villain, Voller (Mikkelsen). Watch below:

What will happen in Indiana Jones 5?

Indiana Jones 5 will see Ford’s character take on the franchise’s recurring villains – the Nazis – in 1969 during the height of the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States.

Speaking with Empire magazine, the film’s co-screenwriter, Jez Butterworth, previously said: “The simple fact is that the moon-landing program was run by a bunch of ex-Nazis. How ‘ex’ they are is the question. And it gets up Indy’s nose…”

He continued: “It’s not just that the model of what a hero is has completely changed. It’s not just that they’re looking for something where there’s nothing up there – it’s like Reno without the gambling, or whatever his line is. But the people that are behind it are, you know, his sworn enemies.”

Ford has also confirmed this will be the last time he cracks his whip – so there’s a chance the film could give us a fairly definitive ending to the saga.

Indiana Jones 5 release date

After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday 18th May, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will be released in cinemas on 30th June 2023.

This will be three years later than originally hoped, 15 years since the release of the last film in the series (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) and more than four decades since the first entry in the franchise (Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Production officially started in June 2021 with a leaked on-set photo of Harrison Ford in costume as Indy causing quite a stir on social media.

Franchise co-creator George Lucas, who played a big role in deciding the story for the previous four movies, will not be involved in the upcoming entry at all, according to screenwriter David Koepp, who wrote an early draft of the film.

But one stalwart of the franchise who will be back is legendary composer John Williams, who is returning to write the score – which is sure to include some callbacks to his classic Indiana Jones theme.