A new Swamp Thing movie has been in the works for years now, the project announced as part of the Gods and Monsters slate that was first revealed in early 2023, but forward motion has been a bit slow. James Mangold signed on to helm the film shortly after it was announced, but his focus then pivoted to the Oscar-nominated Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, and he has also since signed on to make an upcoming Star Wars movie. The production appears to still be in very early stages, but one star who is very much hoping to get in on the ground floor and play the lead in the horror blockbuster is Vincent D'Onofrio.

Obviously, the Full Metal Jacket star has made quite an impression on Marvel fans bringing to life Wilson Fisk a.k.a. The Kingpin in Daredevil and Daredevil: Born Again, but while on a panel at L.A. Comic Con this weekend, he spoke about his desire to play Swamp Thing and why he has a passion for the character. Said D'Onofrio,

Comic book fans know Swamp Thing as a powerful albeit tragic figure, and letting a talent like Vincent D'Onofrio access those depths would surely result in some incredible cinema. The character has a god-like connection with nature, but he is perceived as a monster and kept at a distance from his former human life.

Incredible writers have brought the character to life on the page including the legendary Len Wein and Alan Moore, and Vincent D'Onofrio recalls being moved by the passion of the character's inner dialogue as he would read Swamp Thing comics as a young adult. Unfortunately, however, he doesn't think that his odds of actually ever getting to play the Avatar of the Green are all that high, adding,

Exactly why D'Onofrio thinks he is out of the running for the role is unclear, but it's worth noting that DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran have been doing some very smart button pressing as of late, and if they properly recognize the actor's passion for playing the part, I wouldn't qualify the casting as an impossibility.

Swamp Thing does not yet have a release date on the schedule of upcoming DC movies, but our excitement for the blockbuster should assure you that we'll have news about updates coming your way here on CinemaBlend as soon as they are available. As for those of you who need a Vincent D'Onofrio fix, you can enjoy his latest turn as Wilson Fisk watching the first season of Daredevil: Born Again (available to stream with a Disney+ subscription) and join us in anticipating his forthcoming return to the powerful antagonist in the forthcoming Daredevil: Born Again Season 2.

Hollywood’s rumor mill is in full throttle, with a new report claiming that Timothée Chalamet and director James Mangold, the duo behind the critically acclaimed Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, are revving up to reunite. Insiders say the pair is eyeing a motocross heist movie called High Side, and if even half the rumored plot is true, buckle up, because it’s going to be a wild ride.

According to Deadline, the project is based on an unpublished short story by Jaime Oliveira, and it is being shopped around as a potential reteam for Chalamet and Mangold, who are fresh off eight 2025 Oscar nominations for A Complete Unknown. Chernin Entertainment is attached to produce, while Sugar23—Oliveira’s reps—is currently taking the package out to town, where it’s already generating buzz in both Hollywood and publishing circles.

High Side allegedly follows Billy, a former MotoGP prodigy haunted by a career-ending crash and a legacy of family dysfunction. After walking away from the sport, he’s been scraping by—caring for his addict father and running the family garage—until his estranged older brother, Cole, resurfaces with a dangerous proposition: rob banks using Billy’s unique skills on a superbike. Cole, already on the FBI’s radar, assembles a mismatched crew that includes a mysterious woman who becomes Billy’s lover. Together, they begin targeting small-town desert banks with surgical precision.

As the stakes rise, so does the pressure, especially from Lennox, a hard-nosed FBI agent who has a complicated history with Cole. The climax reportedly centers around the crew setting their sights on the ultimate score: one final bank heist timed to unfold during a massive motorcycle parade.

If High Side turns out to be even half as wild as it sounds—a motocross-powered heist thriller with emotional depth and sibling tension—it could be the perfect next move for both Chalamet and Mangold. Think Fast & Furious meets Point Break by way of Taylor Sheridan's Hell or High Water—a high-octane genre ride grounded in grit, character, and consequences. That blend of action and pathos is right in Mangold’s wheelhouse. We've seen him elevate genre storytelling before, especially in Logan, where he delivered not just thrills, but real emotional stakes. So, I'd love to see him do that with this.

As for Chalamet—more like Timothée Chameleon—he's a total Swiss Army knife of an actor. The guy can play a rock icon, a noble-born space prince, or a lovesick cannibal, and he always dives into each role with surprising intensity and range. Dropping him into a dirt-bike-fueled crime saga could be the kind of unexpected pivot that reminds audiences he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty—literally. If this comes together, High Side might just be one of the most thrilling, genre-bending projects on the horizon.

There’s no word yet on when this project might hit theaters. Chalamet already has a notable 2025 movie schedule, which includes the upcoming A24 movie directed by Josh Safdie, a table tennis drama titled Marty Supreme, set to release in December. On top of that, the climactic shoot for the upcoming Dune: Part 3 is also in progress. As for Mangold, he continues to flex his range as a filmmaker, with the romantic drama Juliet and the upcoming Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi both in the works.

In the meantime, keep your eye on this project, as High Side could be the next great high-speed thrill ride.

Since Bohemian Rhapsody became a worldwide phenomenon that grossed just $90 million shy of $1 billion at the global box office, music biopics have been all the rage in Hollywood. Since the success of the Queen movie, we’ve seen 2019’s Elton John musical Rocketman, 2022’s Elvis Presley and Whitney Houston movies, and last year’s Bob Marley and Amy Winehouse movies. And over this past Christmas holiday, a biopic about Bob Dylan called A Complete Unknown was released in theaters before becoming a Best Picture nominee at the 2025 Oscars.

I’ve seen just about all the music biopics to come out in recent years, genuinely because I’m a huge fan of music, and am always curious to learn about how these icons are depicted in their own movies. But, I really wasn’t expecting to give a movie about Bob Dylan just shy of five stars in my A Complete Unknown review. Now, I want to talk about the specific reasons why I think future music biopics should be looking at James Mangold’s movie when telling the story of more musicians.

I'm Tired Of Getting Boring History Lessons From Music Biopics

There are two huge upcoming music biopics on the way this year: the Michael Jackson movie Michael and The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White set to play Bruce Springsteen in Deliver Me From Nowhere. And yes, I’m going to see them, but now that A Complete Unknown floored me, I hope other movies of the genre pay attention to what worked about it. Number one on my list is how the movie chose a story within Bob Dylan’s life to tell that would be interesting even if his name wasn’t so famous, instead of the script feeling like I’m reading a Wikipedia article or research paper.

Look, if I wanted to watch a documentary about the subject, that’s what I would do. But, when I go to see a music biopic, I want to feel like I’m in the room with a musician I’m never going to be able to see live. I want to understand more about what makes them tick and the inspiration behind their famous songs and iconic moments in their career.

I liked that A Complete Unknown didn’t try to tell his massive career in two hours and make sure it hit all his big hits in one trip to the movies. The filmmakers didn’t overwhelm me with every era because they wanted to or could, they were clearly focused on telling a great story about Dylan’s start and how he decided to shake up the folk genre in 1965.

I'm Happy That A Complete Unknown Focused On Dylan's Talent Over Controversy And Other Usual Biopic Beats

After seeing many music biopics, it feels like the journey of being a big-name in that industry typically hits the same beats – which feels absolutely reductive to how special each one of these artists are! Why is every one of these movies about how they are talented as a young person and get plucked by an agent, only to be used for their talent to the point of burnout, or them forming some kind of substance addiction before they face some kind of experience that leads them to one of their big hit song comebacks, which makes things ok again. That is before (half the time) they unexpectedly die.

I’m actually rather upset at Hollywood for treating these iconic names in music as subjects to sell movies rather than taking the time to work with their estates and find a compelling reason to highlight them first. In the case of A Complete Unknown, it was based on the book Dylan Goes Electric!, which I’m sure helped provide deeper insight and context into Dylan at this time in his life. I loved how I felt like I was watching an interesting music drama and character piece that just happened to star Bob Dylan rather than the kind of movie I can see coming a mile ahead.

For The First Time I Understood The Bob Dylan (And Joan Baez) Hype Thanks To A Complete Unknown

That's not to say A Complete Unknown doesn’t make some typical biopic mistakes, and others of the genre haven’t done some new things before. But I think what I liked the most about A Complete Unknown is how it genuinely made me feel like a fan of both Dylan and Joan Baez after experiencing the movie. Prior to watching it, I honestly didn’t get the hype on Dylan, but Timothée Chalamet has genuinely not done me wrong when it comes to his choices. I had heard about his commitment to learning to play the guitar and sing like Dylan, and remember really loving Walk The Line when I saw it (also helmed by Mangold), despite not really knowing much about Johnny Cash.

A Complete Unknown did an excellent job at having moments where it felt like I was just watching Bob Dylan be and perform in front of me. In no other context would I have taken the time to really listen to his music and understand what kind of artist he was when he entered the folk scene. I could imagine myself being a young person in the ‘60s and how Bob Dylan would have appealed to me. Oh, and I got to discover who Joan Baez was for the first time thanks to Monica Barbaro’s performance as the musician.

I found myself less interested in whether Dylan and Baez would be longtime lovers, and was absolutely on the edge of my seat over the next immersive performance as solo musicians or as a duo. Once the movie enters its finale where Dylan decides to play rock music at the Newport Folk Festival much to the dismay of audiences, I could understand why the artist is such an icon, with room now on my own time to learn about other aspects of his career and discography.

Here’s hoping more music biopics take more time and care into bringing their subjects to life, because I thought A Complete Unknown nailed it.

When the DC Universe franchise was officially announced in early 2023, Swamp Thing was one of the first movies unveiled for the shared continuity succeeding the DC Extended Universe. Created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson for 1971’s House of Secrets #92, the character was a staple of DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint for a long time, but he was returned to the DC Universe in 2010, where they’ve stayed ever since. The vegetative monster is one of DC’s most well-known supernatural superheroes alongside folks like John Constantine and Zatanna, and he’s also an integral member of the Justice League Dark.

Although this upcoming DC movie won’t be the first time Swamp Thing has been depicted in live-action or even on the big screen (more on that later), it’s probably safe to say that the DC Universe-set story will be his biggest exposure yet to the general public. So for those of you wondering what to expect from this feature film, we’ve put together this guide detailing the key pieces of information that have been revealed, and it will continue be updated as more news comes in.

When Is Swamp Thing’s Release Date?

Currently, Swamp Thing doesn’t have a release date. With James Gunn’s Superman kicking off the film side of the DC Universe on July 11, 2025, it will be followed by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Clayface, which arrive on June 26, 2026 and September 11, 2026, respectively.

So, the earliest Swamp Thing could be released is in 2027, but it’s easily possible we’ll have to wait longer than that given all the other officially-announced and reported DCU movies coming up, including The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Teen Titans, Bane and Deathstroke’s team-up flick and the Daniel Craig-led Sgt. Rock.

What Is Swamp Thing About?

No official plot details have been shared for Swamp Thing yet, but we at least have a general idea of what we can expect given how the title character’s been depicted in the comics.

Multiple individuals have held the Swamp Thing mantle over the decades, usually when they’re killed and their consciousness is absorbed into The Green, the cosmic energies that give life to all plants in the universe. As the Avatar of The Green, Swamp Thing can manipulate all plant life, which in turn gives the individual powers like changing the size and shape of their body, regeneration, super strength and even traveling through time.

Although not officially confirmed yet, it’s a good bet the new Swamp Thing movie will follow Alec Holland, the most well-known character to carry the mantle. In the comics, Alec was a scientist whose laboratory was bombed after he creative a bio-restorative formula to solve the world’s food shortage problems.

Drenched in the formula, but also set ablaze by the blast, he spent his final moments running into the nearby swamp. His consciousness was absorbed into the swamp, and the conscious plant life nearby formed a new body for him, resulting in the rise of Swamp Thing.

The Swamp Thing Cast

No actors have been announced for Swamp Thing yet. Again, the likeliest bet is that the movie will follow Alec Holland. If that’s the case, we can also assume that characters like his love interest, Abby Arcane, and his arch-nemesis Anton Arcane, Abby’s father, will be included as well.

However, there’s also the possibility that this movie could instead use Levi Kamei, the current Swamp Thing in the comics. Whatever the case, just because it could be a long time before the movie is released, keep in mind that the character could be introduced in a different DCU project before he takes center stage.

Who’s Directing Swamp Thing?

James Mangold has been tapped to write and direct Swamp Thing, with this being officially confirmed in April 2023, three months after the DC Universe unveiling. This will be Mangold’s third comic book movie, as he previously helmed The Wolverine and both directed and wrote Logan. His other credits include Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma, Ford v Ferrari, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and A Complete Unknown.

What Will Swamp Thing Be Rated?

Needless to say an official MPA rating isn’t going to be revealed until a few months before the movie is released. However, Peter Safran said that the film will “investigate” the character’s “dark origins” through a horror lens during the DCU announcement, and James Mangold said to Variety several months later that he views the project as “a very simple, clean, Gothic horror movie about this man/monster.” With descriptions like that, it’s entirely possible Swamp Thing could end up being rated R rather than PG-13.

Will Swamp Thing Connect To Other DCU Projects?

In the aforementioned Variety interview, Mangold described his upcoming project as a “just doing my own thing with this, just a standalone” movie. But, make no mistake, the character will cross over with other corners of the DC Universe. James Gunn confirmed as much when he said in the DCU announcement that “we’ll still have Swamp Thing interact with the other characters.”

Again, maybe we’ll meet him in a different DCU movie or TV show first that plants the seed (pun fully intended) for his solo feature, or maybe said feature will find ways to connect with other projects in subtle ways that don’t distract from the story Mangold will tell.

How To Watch The Previous Swamp Thing Movies And TV Shows

While we wait for more news on how James Mangold’s film is coming along, the previous live-action Swamp Thing movies and TV shows are easy enough to track down online. 1982’s Swamp Thing and 1989’s The Return of Swamp Thing, as well as the short-lived Swamp Thing TV series that was initially released on the now-defunct DC Universe streaming service, can all be found for free on Tubi.

The Swamp Thing TV series that ran from 1990 to 1993 on USA Network, on the other hand, can only be accessed digitally by purchasing it on platforms like Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.

Keep your eyes peeled here for addition information on what we can expect from the DCU’s Swamp Thing movie. Meanwhile, if you’d like to look back on times long gone by, you can always view the DC movies in order using your Max subscription.

At the crossroads of saying goodbye to the 2024 movies and looking forward to the future, director James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown continues to keep the man, and his work, in the conversation. With the Timothée Chalamet starring historical drama being among the 2025 Golden Globe nominees, that isn’t a hard task to keep up with. But in his own bit of forward thinking, Mangold has given an update on his upcoming Star Wars movie project, and I love what he’s said about what’s most “important” when it comes to this new picture.

During an interview with MovieWeb to promote A Complete Unknown, the Ford v. Ferrari director gave us some new details to chew on about Star Wars: The Dawn of the Jedi. As he’s been co-writing the project with House of Cards creator Beau Willimon, James Mangold’s double duties give him a unique responsibility to the fans, which he partially described below:

Previous comments on how James Mangold’s Star Wars movie happened have painted a picture of mutual excitement between the co-writer/director and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. So hearing that Dawn of the Jedi is not only still cooking, but it’s being given the time to do so, is exciting.

Approaching a story that precedes the Jedi Order, and taking place several millennia before the even The Acolyte’s setting is something that is still very uncharted territory. So even if you’re burnt out on the Skywalker family legacy, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi has quite a bit of allure to it. James Mangold talking about not being interested in “being handcuffed by so much lore” is as promising as the fact that this project isn’t being shoehorned into a pre-mandated release date.

Of course, that means there's a chance that Dawn of the Jedi could find itself grounded in development hell. Let’s not forget that we’re still reeling from Rian Johnson’s trilogy of films quietly slipping into obscurity, and we still have no idea if Taika Waititi’s potentially controversial Star Wars movie will actually happen.

Save for The Mandalorian and Grogu film slated for 2026, everything else seems to be fair game in this galaxy far, far away. And you know what? I'm ok with that. If James Mangold and Beau Willimon’s project doesn’t pan out, at least we know that it’s probably because they took their best shot and decided not to force the issue. Sometimes ruling the sandbox means you need to know when to raze it to the ground, and move on into the binary sunset.

It's not like the rest of the Star Wars galaxy won't exist for us to revisit/catch up with in the future! And if you’re looking to do just that, feel free to soar back into the stars with the power of a Disney+ subscription! Though if you’ve been keeping up with Skeleton Crew, you probably didn't need that reminder; so ignore this ominous hologram of hope.

A Complete Unknown, which was part of the 2024 movie schedule, has received great reviews for its portrayal of the singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Critics praised Timothée Chalamet’s take on Dylan and how he navigates the NYC '60s folk scene while doing a spot on impression. James Mangold, the movie’s director, did his homework for the film and blends fact–with the help of some great resources–and fiction wonderfully. One of the best pulls the director had speaks to his portrayal of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash’s friendship which comes from the duo’s penpal relationship.

James Mangold is no stranger to a historical musician movie. He actually directed the Cash biopic, Walk the Line back in 2005, and it's still one of the best music biopics out there. The 61-year-old walked Entertainment Weekly through what was historically accurate and what was embellished in the name of storytelling for cinema. He walked through some major plot points, including Dylan’s love of Guthrie, his relationship with Suze Russo aka Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), and the two monumental performers' friendship. The Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director had this to say about locating the infamous letters:

Let’s just take a moment for good managers and creatives who go digging. It may seem like an innocuous detail but moments that are pulled from primary sources make the great biopics even more galvanized. Mangold reaching out to Dylan’s manager and injecting realities into the film teaches a rounder image of the time as well as the prolific singer. It’s an opportunity for new generations to connect with the era and for others who are familiar learn some things they may not have known. Mangold provided me with this experience twenty years ago with Johnny Cash and I’m glad he’s at it again (check out CinemaBlend's A Complete Unknown review here).

Their friendship in the movie is wholesome and wonderful to watch grow and encourage each other in the ways that are true to themselves. I’ve always loved knowing that the two wrote to each other regularly and supported each other in their career, and I'm even happier to have this part of their relationship cemented on film.

Thanks to Mangold and everyone involved in sourcing the sweet BTS items that contributed to the Cash & Dylan relationship and beyond. I know this movie will be on a pretty regular rotation because of their friendship. And, I hope to find some comparable titles this year on the upcoming music biopics list that have the attention to detail that A Complete Unknown has.

A Complete Unknown is playing in theaters now. Check out Mangold’s Walk The Line with a Hulu subscription.

Who is Bob Dylan? The living legacy of the folk musician seems to evoke questions upon questions. As someone who grew up during a time when every move Britney Spears made seemed to be recorded on the front page of tabloids in the checkout line at grocery stores, I found an air of intrigue about A Complete Unknown as a big music fan looking on the outside in on the musician’s lore. But there’s something incredibly refreshing about this being a biopic that isn’t about big answers about Dylan or rousing messages about the time period.

Writer/director James Mangold, who famously made the Johnny Cash movie Walk The Line back in 2005, does one better. He respects the reclusive legacy of Bob Dylan while also delivering on one heck of a show that will perhaps inspire a newfound interest in the folk genre and how Dylan came in “like a rolling stone” to shake the whole scene up by going electric. By the end of A Complete Unknown, Dylan is both as enigmatic as ever and more tangible than he’s ever been, and there’s a unique charm about the artist’s trademark being absolutely central to his biopic.

You don’t have to be a Bob Dylan fan to appreciate the journey in A Complete Unknown.

A Complete Unknown begins with Timothée Chalamet’s Dylan landing in New York at the age of 19 with the clothes on his back and a guitar to visit his musical idol, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital while the folk idol was dealing with Huntington’s disease. The movie doesn’t spoon feed you with any scenes of Dylan prior to that; you’re simply locked into the singer’s story from that point on without Mangold feeling the need to cover all of Dylan’s 83 years on this planet so far. You’re dropped into an era, and it’s an enthralling watch from start to finish.

Then Dylan plays a song to Guthrie alongside fellow folk legend Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) in Guthrie's hospital room. There’s an instant awareness of the raw magic to Chalamet’s Dylan sitting down to tell a story with his guitar and (somehow pitch-perfectly-imperfect live) singing voice. It’s a captivating way to introduce anyone to Bob Dylan, and from then on, the script doesn’t move the focus. The movie is less interested in hitting every bullet point in the subject's life and is instead fascinated with the singer-songwriter’s ambition and showcasing how it might have looked and sounded like to see Dylan performing in front of you in his early days of fame. Mangold’s direction hangs on its performances in just the right ways, somehow without the movie feeling pretentious or too grand for its audience to swallow up – much like Dylan seemed to be to his fans.

Timothée Chalamet rocks at wielding a performance that honors the mystery and undeniable talent of Bob Dylan.

The casting of Chalamet as Bob Dylan feels like a match made in Hollywood heaven, almost to the point that the movie couldn’t have been pulled off without him. While there’s an awareness that this is the movie star behind the Dune films or last year’s Wonka, the actor’s character work quickly immerses one into the story being told instead. Dylan’s recognizable Minnesota accent isn’t always legible, but that’s almost part of why the performance works. Chalamet embodies a character who is a mix of eccentric, distant, awkward, egocentric and genius that allows one to better grasp the idea of Bob Dylan beyond black and white photos and whiny singing. And while too many biopics love to feel like a commercial for its subject, A Complete Unknown doesn’t hold Bob Dylan too dear.

A Complete Unknown is also elevated thanks to its supporting cast. Elle Fanning plays a composite character Sylvie Russo (who is loosely based on one of Dylan’s girlfriends, Suze Rotolo), who beautifully emulates the rollercoaster ride of emotions a wanderer like Dylan can wreak. Monica Barbaro is simply incredible as Joan Baez, a fellow prominent folk musician who crosses paths with Dylan on many occasions. Her and Fanning’s performances help make Dylan an ever more interesting figure when matched up with his noncommittal, disruptive personality.

Boyd Holbrook channels something completely unrecognizable as a friend of Dylan, Johnny Cash, in a few key scenes. Edward Norton also shines as he plays against type, as the soft-natured Seeger, who is there alongside him to Dylan's rise and rebellion to folk. As sort of a father figure to the icon, Norton adds more brush strokes of dimension to the film.

James Mangold delivers a music biopic that is more than above average, but not without a couple minor notes.

Oddly enough, as someone who’s seen tons of biopics about musicians who I know many more songs about, A Complete Unknown floors with how much appreciation and enjoyment one can get from seeing Dylan and Joan Baez perform in the film. Through things like intimate closeups and living room serenades, it’s as though one has bought a ticket to a few concerts in a time machine. I witnessed why folk music is worth discovering and got a visual history lesson about an important moment in music history.

The only sour note of the Bob Dylan story is that the artist's life is clearly so much bigger than A Complete Unknown can fit into its intimate epic, and sometimes those cracks are unfortunately obvious. The movie is very much honed in on tracking Dylan’s story from being folk’s rising star to one of the most famous musicians of his time. While it made a solid choice in not biting off more than it could chew, it feels like there’s a couple of broken strings regarding Dylan’s antiwar and civil rights stances.

As I’ve come to learn, while Bob Dylan is a product of his surge of popularity in the ‘60s, he’s also a timeless figure too, and Mangold and his production design team somehow find the visual language of staying true to this. A Complete Unknown does just what a Bob Dylan biopic should do: it brings insight into the artist, has one feeling like they’ve experienced the artist in his early glory days, and in my case, gave me an introduction to the artist that has had me making friends with his records as a first-time fan.

When Timothée Chalamet was cast as Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s biopic, A Complete Unknown, it seemed evident that this would be a major role for the young actor. The project generated skepticism from fans of Dylan, who hoped Chalamet would be up for the task. There was also media buzz when it was clear that Chalamet was giving everything he had to his performance of the famed musician. The interest in the actor’s process hasn’t dissipated and, after rumors swirled around the Dune star's work, Mangold offered a very honest response.

The cast and director of A Complete Unknown recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and opened up about how they decided to approach Bob Dylan’s life and Timothée Chalamet’s thinking when embodying the rock legend. As the Oscar nominee detailed his undying commitment to playing Dylan and, in many ways becoming him, the interviewer asked if there was truth to him being referred to as "Bob" on the set. After Chalamet denied the notion, he was asked if he veered “obsessive” territory for his prep, to which the 28-year-old said:

James Mangold was quick to defend his lead actor, and his commitment to playing the character. The Indiana Jones 5 director expressed that he was upset when the acting process was framed as something negative or disruptive, saying that it was all necessary for the movie they were trying to make. Mangold didn't mince words while explaining what "pisses" him off about the discourse:

The Ford v. Ferrari director's slightly miffed response is understandable, especially considering how much media scrutiny has come down on committed actors. Jeremy Strong received lots of criticism towards his acting approach, especially when it came to playing Kendall on Succession. Meanwhile, Austin Butler has been memed on the internet due to the lasting impact playing Elvis Presley had on his speaking voice.

However, oftentimes in order to give a believable and emotionally resonant performance, an actor must do a lot of character work. Sometimes this means resembling a character as closely as possible and staying in aspects of their persona between takes. While this has been praised, it has sometimes been criticized as being something self indulgent, or pretentious.

Elle Fanning also defended Timothée Chalamet’s approach to Dylan during the THR interview, claiming that it’s often customary for actors to maintain parts of their character even when the camera isn’t rolling and being called their character’s names is often typical.

While it can be interesting or buzzy to speculate how far an actor may go for a character, this is often just part of the job, and intensity is integral to producing the best creative output possible. The Lady Bird alum even thought that some of this could still be seen as obsessive, but he was willing to be just that to honor a musician that moved him so much. He said:

For Mangold and Chalamet, this project is clearly more than just another biopic. The director’s remarks underline just how much pressure the Call Me By Your Name actor is under as he steps into Dylan’s shoes. With such a beloved and scrutinized cultural icon at the center of the film, the stakes are undeniably high. Even with such a weight on Chalamet’s shoulders, he was clearly up for the task as critics are raving about A Complete Unknown, specifically his work in the lead role. Some may find such a committed approach strange, but it seems to be panning out thus far.

You can see Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown when it hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2024 movie schedule. Fans of the movie star should also read up on other great films starring Chalamet, for more incredible performances from the Wonka actor.

Timothée Chalamet’s already had quite a year, with Dune: Part Two hitting the 2024 movie calendar in March, and next up for him is the highly anticipated Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. The highly sought-after actor will star as the singer/songwriter who came to fame in the 1960s when the film is released to theaters on Christmas Day. The trailer appears to show that Chalamet has affected a spot-on impression of Dylan, and after critics were able to catch an early viewing, they were quick to share their own opinions of A Complete Unknown.

It’s promising that despite the movie not being out yet, it’s already drawing acclaim. A Complete Unknown was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama when the 2025 Golden Globe nominees were announced (the awards will air on CBS and live with a Paramount+ subscription on January 5), with Timothée Chalamet and Edward Norton also singled out for their performances. Tomris Laffly of AV Club gives the film an A-, praising both Chalamet and director James Mangold for crafting a brainy but accessible story, energetically told. The critic continues:

Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com admits to having some skepticism about the movie, but just as Bob Dylan has done so many times in his career, A Complete Unknown exceeded the critic's expectations. Tallerico gives it 3.5 out of 4 stars and says:

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY is equally as taken by Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, also rating it 3.5 out of 4 stars. Truitt says A Complete Unknown separates itself from other biopics by being an entertaining and magnetic watch. Chalamet’s portrayal feels refreshingly authentic as opposed to annoyingly imitative, the critic says:

Pete Hammond of Deadline says the lead actor “astonishes” as the iconic singer, and James Mangold adds even more for an overall first-rate film. The music alone is worth the price of admission. Hammond writes:

Siddhant Adlakha of IGN gives it a “Good” 7 out of 10, saying the director takes a deceptively straightforward approach to Bob Dylan and the movie works best when its subject is allowed to remain a mystery. Adlakha concludes:

There’s already so much buzz surrounding this movie, and these assessments give a good idea of why. If you want to check out what all the fuss is about, A Complete Unknown will be in theaters starting Wednesday, December 25.

The world is currently enjoying the success of Shawn Levy's Deadpool & Wolverine, which has breathed new life into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with an impressive box office performance. This movie is already a massive hit, giving Marvel its best opening weekend in years and treating audiences to their first glimpse of Hugh Jackman in the iconic blue and yellow costume. Jackman has portrayed the character for two decades, and his return is thrilling for fans. However, this success might not have been possible without the groundwork laid by director James Mangold. He directed The Wolverine in 2013 and the critically acclaimed Logan in 2017. Did you know Mangold had a secret cameo in the former? Well, sharp-eyed—and sharp-eared—fan recently discovered it.

An observant fan, who goes by the username Dude Two, Joe 🦧 on social media, recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share an observation while rewatching The Wolverine. The fan tweeted at James Mangold, asking if he was the voice of the newscaster heard during the film's conclusion. He admitted he couldn’t find any information on it and apologized if it had been previously addressed. The filmmaker responded with a concise answer:

How fun! Who doesn’t love a good director's cameo, especially when it's only audio and isn’t too jarring? Certain filmmaker cameos can pull you right out of the movie. (I'm looking at you, Quentin Tarantino, in Django Unchained.)

The Mangold revelation adds an extra layer of intrigue to a film already rich with complex characters and intense action sequences. Released in 2013, The Wolverine follows the titular character, played by Hugh Jackman, as he battles both external enemies and internal demons while grappling with his immortality. The film’s darker tone and mature themes set it apart from previous installments in Fox's X-Men film series, earning praise for its sophisticated approach to the superhero genre. Let's be honest; it's time the flick received its flowers.

While Logan’s first solo outing, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is frequently discussed as being one of the worst superhero movies, and Logan is universally praised (we even ranked it among the best Western movies of all time), I often find myself asking: where's the appreciation for The Wolverine? For starters, can we acknowledge what a significant improvement it is over its predecessor?

James Mangold's 2013 superhero movie effort takes place after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand (which I also enjoyed) and follows the former Weapon X as he travels to Japan. There, he faces old and new adversaries while struggling with losing his healing powers. Although often overlooked, the film is an impressive action movie that deserves praise for James Mangold's excellent directing, and his fun voice cameo adds a unique touch to the film. Now, I'm curious as to whether there are any other BTS gems from the film that have yet to be revealed.

You can revisit the severe first take of everyone’s favorite adamantium-clawed superhero and the director's secret role in The Wolverine, which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Or head out to a theater near you and see one of the most anticipated 2024 movie releases, Deadpool & Wolverine.

This weekend, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is back again for the release of Deadpool and Wolverine. The superhero movie adds Ryan Reynolds’ lovable antihero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with the X-Men fan-favorite after Jackman gave a final salute (or so with thought) with 2017’s Logan. As critics name Deadpool and Wolverine the “ultimate Deadpool movie,” Logan’s director James Mangold has shared his thoughts on cinematic universes.

Now James Mangold is getting ready to make a very different movie: the Bob Dylan biopic with Timothée Chalamet. As the first A Complete Unknown trailer came out on Wednesday, Mangold was asked if he’d create his own “cinematic universe” by bringing back Joaquin Phoenix’s Johnny Cash from Walk The Line. Here’s how he responded to Rolling Stone:

While Mangold wasn’t taking directly about the MCU, or any other multiverse specifically for that matter, his response definitely speaks to his own take on the popular tool studios have been using as of late. The director was certainly part of a Marvel movie with Logan, but in a way that speaks to this perspective. The movie was nearly devoid of cameos, references or interconnected moments. Heck, the X-23 movie that may have sprouted from Logan never happened (even though it was apparently “very much a reality” once). As Mangold continued:

With that in mind, don’t expect to catch James Mangold helming an MCU movie anytime soon. The filmmaker is very much speaking to a problem many take with multiverse films over the years. Sometimes it can feel like each entry is a commercial for the next one rather than focusing on a great central storyline. The really good ones set themselves apart by finding their own emotional story rather than relying on the easter eggs or storylines that play into other movies.

While James Mangold may not be a multiverse kind of guy, he’s given his blessing for Hugh Jackman’s return for Logan before. The director previously said he and Jackman, who he considers a longtime friend, talked a lot about “how joyful a kind of Midnight Run or 48 Hrs. with Deadpool and Logan would be” and “completely” understands Reynolds, Jackman and director Shawn Levy “chasing that idea” with Deadpool and Wolverine.

Deadpool and Wolverine hits theaters this weekend! And you can look forward to Mangold’s next movie, A Complete Unknown this December.

Timothée Chalamet's filmography is already impressive, and it looks like we're in for another treat. Swapping his Wonka top hat and the sandworms of Arrakis for a guitar, Chalamet is set to captivate audiences in the highly anticipated upcoming biopic. Excitement is building as the film's director has shared the first glimpses of the Beautiful Boy actor perfectly embodying Dylan on social media, signaling another potentially standout role for the talented actor.

Logan’s James Mangold, who is directing the flick, took to social media, posting some behind-the-scenes images of A Complete Unknown to X (formerly Twitter) in production on the streets of Manhattan. These snapshots, which you can see embedded below, reveal Timothée Chalamet's remarkable transformation into the iconic folk rocker, capturing a moment of him dashing across a brilliantly moody New York street meticulously dressed to reflect the era.

As reported by Deadline, A Complete Unknown is set to explore the pivotal moment when the legendary musician switched from acoustic to electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The Little Women alum will star alongside Elle Fanning and Edward Norton, with Norton taking on the role of folk icon Pete Seeger. The release date for the film remains under wraps for now, but as you can see from the images below, the movie is well into production. 

Mangold has revealed that the Call Me By Your Name star will perform his own singing in the film. The film's narrative will focus on Dylan's humble beginnings, arriving in New York at the age of 19 with very little money and his rapid rise to international stardom within just three years. In a conversation with Collider, Mangold highlighted what audiences should expect from the flick:

The biopic won’t be the first time the Dune star showcased his singing talent. In Woody Allen's polarizing 2019 movie, A Rainy Day in New York, he delivered a cover of Chet Baker's "Everything Happens to Me." And though we had some problems with the movie’s new songs, the actor was able to impress with both singing and dancing across seven musical sequences in the box office hit Wonka. And, of course, who could forget his earlier days as 'Lil Timmy Tim,' particularly his statistics rap, remains a memorable highlight. If this is news to you, there's a clip of Chalamet sharing this unforgettable moment with Graham Norton on YouTube that is definitely worth a watch.

While we wait for the release of A Complete Unknown, you can enjoy Timothée’s 2024 movie release, Dune: Part Two, which is playing in a theater near you. Or enjoy his memorable performance as Willy in Wonka, streaming with a Max subscription. 

Earlier this year, Harrison Ford blew the dust off of his Indiana Jones fedora to play the famed archaeologist one last time in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Director James Mangold slid into the director’s chair in place of Steven Spielberg, and sent Indy on a mission to assemble two halves of Archimedes’ dial, an instrument that can detect fissures in space-time and allow a person to travel through time. As part of the movie, which is available to watch right now with a Disney+ subscription, Indiana Jones (Ford) successfully passes through a fissure and ends up at the Siege in Syracuse in ancient Italy, circa 212 BC. It was, as we mentioned at the time, a huge swing. But I actually thought the movie was going to go one step further.

As the story plays out, Indy and his niece Helena (Phoebe Waller Bridge) vanquish the latest Nazi villain and get to meet Archimedes face to face. And Jones, in the moment, tells Helena he wants to stay. He’s living in the history he has studied his entire life. He doesn’t want to go back. Helena forces him to return to New York in the 1960s, however… an ending that didn’t sit so well with me. So during an exclusive conversation with James Mangold for the movie’s 4K and Blu-ray home video release, I asked him if there were any serious conversations about letting Indy stay in the past. And Mangold told CinemaBlend:  

I love the time travel plot device that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny takes. I agree wholeheartedly with Mangold when he says in interviews that it’s not that different from the endings of Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Last Crusade. And as stated, I would have been very happy if Dial of Destiny committed completely and left Indy in the past, where he thought he could have been happier. But I understand Mangold’s reasoning, and the tender scenes between Indy and Marion (Karen Allen) back in New York City are terrific bookends to this complete saga, which you can stream now if you want to revisit. Read our review of the movie first, then dive back in. 

As the year draws to a close, we will be revisiting some of our favorite moments from the movies we loved. And asking questions like, “How did Mads Mikkelsen survive that devastating face smash in the beginning of Dial of Destiny?” The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is currently available for purchase on 4K and Blu-ray, so make sure you add it to your Indy collection.

The success of co-writer/director Greta Gerwig’s 2023 movie release Barbie feels reminiscent of that moment 15 years ago when Iron Man first put the MCU on the map. Toy-based movies, especially ones based on Mattel products, are now starting to head up in development, and Hot Wheels is the next project that could be revving up at the starting line. 

As this potential major motion picture saw producer J.J. Abrams jump on board last year, a new report from THR has noted that a director is now being sought out for development. If Warner Bros. wants to strike it rich again, there are a couple of parties they should be considering to jump into the Hot Wheels driver’s seat.I have a solid list of competitors for the job, so without any further delay, here’s my lineup of directing talent intended to give this automotive saga the boost it deserves.

The Wachowskis

With Hot Wheels already set up in development at Warner Bros, it’d be nice for someone with a home court advantage to be involved. Not to mention, it helps if whoever’s being considered has experience with the sort of kinetic action and racing drama this Mattel IP will surely inspire. 

On both of those fronts, it feels like a no brainer to enlist Lana and Lilly Wachowski as the brains to bring these toy cars to life. As if decades of working with this particular studio wasn’t enough of a reason to have these talented ladies sign on the dotted line, they’ve practically auditioned for the gig already. 

In the 15 years since its release, the world has found reasons to support Speed Racer, an under-appreciated film that is slowly getting its due. While this isn’t quite the sequel they’d already had planned for that 2008 thrill ride, Hot Wheels is a chance for The Wachowskis to revive their hyper colorful “car-fu” aesthetic for another spin on this new track.

Neill Blomkamp

The more anyone talks about Hot Wheels as a movie, the more opportunities come up for people to doubt just how you’d make a movie based on this lore-less toy brand. It’s a challenge that sees two solid options as a start: either find a real-life story that somehow has a clever tie into the toys, or dive head first into an imaginative pitch. Luckily, director Neill Blomkamp could do both.

In my Gran Turismo review, I celebrated Blomkamp’s efforts to not only tell a grounded true story, but also to honor the Sony PlayStation game to which it was connected. So if there’s a hook in either of those respects, you could see Neill succeeding at making these tiny cars into a big deal. 

In this scenario, I’d personally hope for Neill Blomkamp to go for the more imaginative fiction route. That's thanks to his District 9 sensibilities suggesting some neat racing drama and killer track designs with some sci-fi flare to them. Either case would be a win, as Neill brings the same hunger and precision to either side of the reality spectrum. 

Joseph Kosinski

Looking at the qualifications I feel are required to make this sort of project work, another familiar name popped up in consideration. Thanks to his work on movies like Tron: Legacy and Top Gun: Maverick, director Joseph Kosinski is another gold star candidate to shape this universe into something that’d be a true delight to see.

Maverick feels especially important in this case, as that Tom Cruise blockbuster was a perfect blend of speed, heart and white knuckle suspense. Mr. Kosinski is even brushing up his automotive action chops at the moment thanks to his Formula 1 movie that allegedly has Brad Pitt driving some real race cars. 

As work on that project is more than likely stalled thanks to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes currently in place, Joseph Kosinski might not have room on his dance card for Hot Wheels. Then again, developing this idea to take off as soon as he’s able to complete that Apple original film might be a good move for his future self. 

Lexi Alexander

Speaking of those early Marvel Cinematic Universe days, there’s another creative talent who could very easily make some excitement in the burgeoning world of toy-based movies. Director Lexi Alexander oversaw the underrated Marvel movie Punisher: War Zone, delivering a fresh take on costumed heroes long before the market even knew it needed such a thing.

Hot Wheels is just the sort of project that could use her various sets of skills to its advantage. As an experienced director of television episodes from the Arrowverse, as well as being a veteran stunt performer herself, Ms. Alexander could develop a truly bonkers version of this movie that delivers the thrilling experience that producer J.J. Abrams wants to deliver. 

On the wild chance that Warner Bros could want a harder edged, but still PG-13 movie on its hands, Lexi Alexander is a fantastic choice for that sort of aim. Though even in the realm of safe for network action, her prowess would still be able to wow the crowd while dialing down the carnage.

James Mangold

How do you discuss racing movies without at least mentioning Ford v. Ferrari’s James Mangold? Considering how well received that racing biopic happened to be, I feel like I’d be a fool for not mentioning Mr. Mangold in this line of contention. 

As the Logan director has tackled plenty of blockbusters and indie films in his time, the greatest asset James brings to the table is his ability to work with any era of this landmark brand. If Warner Bros wants a retro Hot Wheels caper, that Ford v. Ferrari and 3:10 to Yuma magic can shine again. 

Should the studio want something more modern or futuristic, James Mangold’s time in the X-Men universe would be the key to that project. Then again, all caution could be thrown to the wind, allowing Mangold to tackle the whole toybox. There’s a chance that he just might make us all cry while delivering the goods. 

Christopher McQuarrie

Another busy bee who might not have the bandwidth to get into Hot Wheels, despite being a perfect fit for it, is Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One’s Christopher McQuarrie. As a writer and director on the last few installments of Tom Cruise’s ongoing espionage thrill ride, McQ’s efforts to deliver hard driving action and engaging storytelling is another formula that could run this toy-based world. 

Though he’s continuing to drive the bus for the adventures of Ethan Hunt, with ideas for Mission: Impossible 9 already in mind, McQuarrie is still a prime choice to put into this sandbox. It may have to be a more effects-driven shoot, as the world of Hot Wheels isn’t totally rooted in reality, but you can be assured that Christopher McQuarrie would get as practical as possible with the Mattel IP. This would admittedly give a certain edge to those crashing fantasies every kid would play out with their own set of these miniature motor vehicles.

Edgar Wright

For my final choice in this challenge to find the right director for Hot Wheels, I'm going with another heartfelt favorite. Edgar Wright is a director that grabs from all of the bags mentioned throughout the rest of the pack. 

He’s worked with colorful IPs like Scott Pilgrim that have become colorful cult favorites, as well as had experience with the MCU machine thanks to his cancelled version of Ant-Man. And yet again, the ace in deck for Wright’s potential hiring comes from his practical experience with adventurous car stunts thanks to Baby Driver. 

Combining his past experiences with his unique voice, Edgar Wright could turn Hot Wheels into a subversively pulp journey. Plus, the Cornetto Trilogy mastermind wouldn’t skimp on the color or the soundtrack to help drive what would be insane thrills. If Mr. Wright were ever to consider trying to make a massive blockbuster again, Hot Wheels is the sweet spot that would allow him to make it his own while also staying in the lane of this particular brand.

As we’ve now crossed the finish line, it’s time for me to remind you all that sadly, everything above is pure speculation. How long that will remain a reality is a mystery, as Warner Bros. sounds pretty set on finding a director for Hot Wheels as soon as possible. In the meantime, fans can enjoy Barbie’s finished product, as it’s still dominating the box office at a theater near you; a fact that could only intensify this search even further in the days to come.

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny are ahead!

After more than four decades of playing Indiana Jones across five movies and one episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Harrison Ford’s time as the fedora-wearing, whip-wielding archeologist is done. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ended things on a momentous note, with Indy and his goddaughter Helena briefly traveling back to the Siege of Syracuse in 212 BC, only to return to 1969, where Indy reconciled with his estranged wife, Marion Ravenwood. The final shot of the 2023 new movie release saw Indy grabbing his trademark hat off a clothesline, and director James Mangold has opened up about what this moment really means.

Mangold, who co-wrote the Dial of Destiny script with Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and David Koepp, told EW that the movie’s final shot was meant to indicate that while the audience’s time with Indiana Jones is over, or at least with Ford’s incarnation of the character, Indy himself is never “giving up.” As the filmmaker explained:

Following the opening World War II sequence featuring a de-aged Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny picked up with the character 25 years later, on the day of his retirement from Hunter College. Additionally, he’s depressed over the death of his son, Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt, in Vietnam, which subsequently led to him and Marion separating. However, following his adventure with Helena across the globe and two millennia into the past, he had a touching reunion with Marion set up by Helena, which included a callback to the “Where does it hurt?” moment from Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first time we saw them together.

So now that Indy’s back home and on good terms with Marion, James Mangold envisions that rather than taking it easy for the final years of his life, our intrepid protagonist will continuing adventuring. In fact, the director, who also helmed movies like Logan and Ford v Ferrari, has a specific idea on where Indy and Marion will go next:

The filmmaker further clarified that while Indy definitely retires from academia in The Dial of Destiny, he’ll never “retire from being an obsessive learner, thinker about the past and the future, and science and mankind.” Because once that happens, it’s “game over.” So while his days of uncovering artifacts like the Antikythera and punching Nazis along the way are finished, he and his wife will find other ways to keep busy on the archaeological front. We the moviegoers, however, will just have to imagine what they do next, whether you agree with Mangold’s idea or would rather them embark on different kinds of journeys.

If you’re interested in more coverage on Indiana Jones and tbe Dial of Destiny, check out our summary of how the movie’s time travel works, as well as our timeline of Indy and Marion’s relationship. If you’d rather look to the future, see what upcoming cinematic entertainment catches your eye with our 2023 movie schedule and 2024 movie schedule.

Ever since the full trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was released, people have been talking about a de-aged Harrison Ford, who is prominently featured during the opening moments of the film. While the digital de-aging process itself proves to be somewhat controversial, as there will always be folks who just aren’t buying it, director James Mangold has shared the big benefit that comes with it. Now he’s further extrapolated to CinemaBlend as to why it was necessary, as he believes opening with a huge flashback was paramount to getting fans on board with a modern Indy film.

I recently spoke to James Mangold in anticipation of the film’s release, who said this about that big, bold opening flashback:

This makes perfect sense. While Harrison Ford has emerged back into the role of Indiana Jones rather confidently at the age of 80 despite rumors of retirement, the times have changed. We no longer have the moral certainty of World War II, and a classic adventurer like Indiana Jones just doesn’t fit into the film’s era of the ‘60s as seamlessly as he once did. Before showing us the reality of an aging, retired Indiana Jones, James Mangold wanted to offer an “appetizer,” starting us off with the romantic elements everyone loves about the Indiana Jones franchise.

Aside from Mangold being focused on providing us with a nostalgic last ride in The Dial of Destiny, the opening sequence was more than necessary to set up the events of the rest of the film. It’s where we’re introduced to the titular dial, the film’s main villain, Mads Mikkelsen's Dr. Voller, and Toby Jones' basil Shaw, the father of newcomer Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena Shaw. The Dial of Destiny has a pretty bonkers, yet momentous ending, and it simply would not have hit in the same way without that intense flashback of an opening scene.

You can see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in theaters right now, and if you’re a fan of the franchise, I highly recommend you do. Thankfully the rest of the Indiana Jones films are available streaming, and given the fact that James Mangold provides us with plenty of franchise references and fan-favorite characters returning, a nice reminder of the events that took place in the first four films isn’t such a bad idea. This blockbuster is another worthy addition to 2023’s summer movie schedule, with plenty more coming down the pipeline.

Indiana Jones is back, and The Dial of Destiny is certain to please O.G. fans of the iconic franchise. Between Harrison Ford’s confident portrayal, Steven Spielberg’s direct involvement, and the legendary John Williams returning to score, it seems that director James Mangold is firing on all cylinders. This tried, tested and true recipe for success has given us a nostalgic final ride for Doctor Jones, but there’s one component that’s already proven to be divisive amongst fans and critics alike: that big, bold, behemoth of a third act.

The ending of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is bound to be controversial and a hot topic in pop culture. So, let’s discuss what happens, what it means, and what James Mangold and Harrison Ford think about taking such a big swing. 

How The Dial Of Destiny Sets Up That Huge Third Act

The opening of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny takes us back in time to one of Indy’s many World War II era adventures. This is where we’re introduced to Basil Shaw (father of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena Shaw), Mads Mikkelson’s Dr. Voller, and one-half of the titular dial, also known as the Antikythera. After an exciting action sequence on a moving train in classic Indiana Jones fashion, the dial ends up in the possession of Basil and Indy, with Voller having been knocked out by Doctor Jones himself. This is likely part of the catalyst that paves the way for a massive grudge Voller holds against Indy over the course of the following decades. 

Flash forward, and Basil Shaw has become somewhat obsessed with the dial, believing that it holds the power to travel back in time. Indy takes the dial from him in a move reminiscent of Gandalf helping Bilbo by taking the ring. This is when we see Helena Shaw as a little girl, who Indy, her godfather, won’t be in contact with for many years. That is, until, she’s an edgy adult who looks shockingly similar to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and comes looking for the Antikythera to sell it at auction.

At this point in time Indy is 70 years old, retiring from the university, and we get a great classroom scene reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. Indy is giving a lecture on Greek mathematician and inventor Archimedes, who famously invented a series of weapons used to protect Syracuse against the Roman invasion in 213-212 BC. Archimedes also worked on a device called the Antikythera. Get it? They’re setting us up. Storytellers, am I right?

Voller is also back, his jaw still sore from the hit, and he has a merry gang of Nazis rampaging around the world looking for the dial. Why? To go back in time and kill Hitler, of course! Good news, right? No, not necessarily, as Voller plans to take Hitler’s spot as the leader of the Third Reich and lead the Nazis to victory in World War II, correcting all the mistakes Voller knows that Hitler made. That is, unless Indiana Jones and his badass goddaughter have something to say about it. After a series of side quests and the MacGuffin changing hands, Voller is on his way back to the ‘30s with both halves of the dial, and Indy and Helena in tow. 

The Big Swing Of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s Finale

So, now we’re at the moment my jaw hit the floor in the movie theater. All parties successfully go back in time… but not to the 1930s. The whole lot find themselves in Sicily, during the 213-212 BC siege of Syracuse. That’s right, folks! Indiana Jones goes back in time to Ancient Italy during a Roman invasion. The Romans fire at the Nazis, and the Nazis fire back, taking down a fair amount of Roman forces and leaving us in that time-travel paradox of wondering how history would have changed had the events of the film not taken place. Voller and co. (Nazis) die in the scuffle, while Indy and Helena parachute down to safety. That’s when we get the big, goosebumps moment of the film, and the twist we were all waiting for.

Indiana Jones comes face-to-face with Archimedes himself. We learn that the dial wasn’t simply invented as a general time-travel device, but rather, Archimedes created it to send help from the future in order to aid in his protection of Syracuse during the invasion. Indiana Jones is now in the past that he had spent his life researching, and in the process, managed to sustain a gunshot wound. There’s a wonder in his eyes, as if this is what he’d always wanted. He asks Archimedes if he can stay, and plans to die there. However, his wish is not fulfilled, but more on that later. 

Why Harrison Ford and Director James Mangold Don’t Think The Ending Was Such A Stretch

Look, iconic hero Indiana Jones travelling to ancient Europe feels like… a lot. Of all the intense nonsense this franchise has put us through, until now they had yet to explore time travel. Having said that, the Indiana Jones films tackle a lot of wild subject matter, and if you were to ask Dial of Destiny director James Mangold, befriending Archimedes isn’t a terribly big swing for the franchise. In fact, during a press day for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Mangold told me this:

James Mangold makes a good point. The Indiana Jones films have always skewed a little fantastical, especially towards the end, though it certainly could be argued that time travel is a bigger swing than voodoo. Coming face-to-face with Archimedes is akin to coming face to face with Jesus Christ himself during the climax of Raiders. Having said that, these films are such a significant part of our cinematic lexicon that we do, to his point, sometimes forget just how “out there” these other third acts have been.

Harrison Ford has a slightly different take. While acknowledging that the third act may have been a lot, he believes that the relationships between the characters, and exhibiting real, human emotion is the most pivotal detail in creating a believable story, despite how fantastical it may be:

Boom. The answer to end all answers. If you have believable relationships between the characters, the outlandish nature of the story will be accepted by audiences. Of course, if you ask the villain Voller himself, Mads Mikkelson, he’ll put it more bluntly, completely standing behind the concept of time-travel as a realistic story element:

A Happy Ending for Indiana Jones

So, does Indiana Jones stay with Archimedes and die within the historical events he had always romanticized? Of course not. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena Shaw, having become emotionally reconnected to her godfather, knocks him out. Indy wakes up in a hospital bed, with Karen Allen’s Marion waiting for him. The Indiana Jones films both start and end with the love between Marion and Indy, and if you didn’t swoon during that romantic finale, you and I are no longer friends.

But is this really the end of Indiana Jones? The last shot of the film sees his iconic fedora hanging outside of the couple's New York City apartment, until his hand reaches around the corner to grab it once again. 

If you haven’t seen Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny for yourself, remedy that! The film is in theaters right now. For the record, the arguably “big swing” of the third act worked for me completely, and I hope it gives you the same nostalgic goosebumps. The film is yet another solid addition to this Summer’s movie release schedule, with much, much more coming down the pipeline. 

At Star Wars Celebration earlier this year, it was revealed that the canon on the big screen will soon delve into both the future and past in regards to the franchise timeline. A film centered on Daisy Ridley's Rey will be taking audiences to a time beyond the period featured in the Sequel Trilogy, while James Mangold's developing feature will be about the origins of the Jedi. Given their distinct settings, one might not think that there would be much connective tissue between them, but that won't actually be the case, according to Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. 

The executive/producer recently spoke with GamesRadar about the blockbuster announcements that were made during the Star Wars convention in London, England this past spring, and she spoke to how there is a link between director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's Rey film and the developing James Mangold movie. They may be set many, many years apart, but they are connected in a special way through their subject matter. She explained,

In the film centered on Rey, the heroine will be featured picking up the torch that was passed to her by Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker: after the fall of the First Order, she will work to train a new generation of Jedi. That story, of course, will be built on the history of the order that Rey knows about (remember that she saved the ancient Jedi texts in Star Wars: The Last Jedi), and that history begins with the tale that writer/director James Mangold will be telling in what may end up being his follow-up to Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny.

With these two projects being in-the-works at the same time, it will be fascinating to see how they end up functioning in parallel... though there may be some trickiness involved in making sure that the work doesn't feel repetitious. What should fortunately help that is the fact that Kathleen Kennedy is promising plenty of "new" in the Rey-centric feature.

Discussing what she refers to as launching the next chapter for the Star Wars franchise, Kennedy says,

Excited as fans are to see what will end up defining said next chapter of the Star Wars universe, the "when" of it all remains a bit of a mystery. We're regularly seeing new Disney+ shows from the franchise arrive on the streaming service (Ahsoka will premiere later this summer, followed by Star Wars: Skeleton Crew at some point in the fall), but no formal announcements have been made regarding big screen release dates. In addition to the Rey movie and the Jedi origins film not having set distribution plans, the same is also true for the project currently being developed by canon maestro Dave Filoni (who has previously teased his vision with a tip of the hat to Revenge Of The Sith).

You can keep track of all of the projects now in the works from the franchise – including those both for Disney+ and cinemas – by checking out our Upcoming Star Wars Movies and TV guide. And for those wanting to read about the canon's big screen past, you can read our Star Wars movies ranking.

The Indiana Jones franchise both started and peaked in the ‘80s. Harrison Ford was a dashing young action star, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were just becoming household names, and setting the original trilogy five decades in the past allowed them to have a recurring villain everyone could rally around defeating: Nazis. It was a recipe for success. Now, with the latest addition to the franchise, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, we see a much older Ford and, inevitably, a later setting where World War II has ended. So who is the new villain? How does a 70-year-old Indy fit in during the ‘60s? Where are the Nazis?! Director James Mangold gave me the lowdown on all of it. 

I recently spoke with Mangold in celebration of the film's upcoming release and addressed these difficulties. He gave a rather poignant response, citing one big hurdle in particular that would provide some trouble creating an Indy story in 2023:

So it seems that Mangold romanticized these classic elements just as much as the rest of us. So much so that in his mind, Indiana Jones movies are representative of Golden Age movies in general. He noticeably left out Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, of which he previously noted he had one big issue with, but in all fairness, that film was overcoming many of the same obstacles. 

It’s clear that Mangold struggled not only with Indy aging, but how a classic hero like Indiana Jones fits into that modern age. Specifically, Mangold dug into exactly why Indy’s glory days were largely over, noting that a serious cultural shift towards Modernism may be more difficult for a character who no longer deals in the moral simplicity of WWII:

And prove himself he does! It’s delightful to see Indiana Jones back to kicking ass on the silver screen, and yes, he does fight more Nazis. Harrison Ford has said in the past he’d always wanted to return to Indiana Jones, and given the fact that he doesn’t even seem close to retiring, this film was inevitable. Folks are, in general, saying positive things about Ford’s new movie, and with Steven Spielberg around to give James Mangold advice, it’s easy to imagine that this is going to be a worthy installment, despite the hurdle of jumping forward so many years. 

You can see the film for yourself on June 30! It’s yet another highly-anticipated addition in what's turning out to be a killer summer 2023 movie release schedule.

In 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones laments, “it’s not the years, it’s the mileage” as Karen Allen’s Marion Ravenwood patches up his wounds amidst his latest dangerous and exciting adventure. Over forty years after the iconic hero’s introduction, Ford returns to the franchise with director James Mangold's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. 

Premiering in theaters a few weeks shy of the actor’s 81st birthday, the years are exactly what Indy is grappling with this time around. And, despite the fifth installment opening with a de-aged Dr. Jones sprinting into action on top of a train, his final adventure beautifully embraces the beloved character as an old man wrestling with retirement – including the wear that comes with it. 

Indiana Jones could have been left well enough alone in the ‘80s with Steven Spielberg’s near-perfect original trilogy, but “fortune and glory, kid, fortune and glory.” Fifteen years following Kingdom and the Crystal Skull stumbled a bit on Indy’s legacy for the masses, Dial of Destiny is a welcome final trip down memory lane for Harrison Ford. The movie most notably closes out the franchise with a sentimentality we’d otherwise never had seen enough of from such a larger-than-life movie figure like the star, and it’s a powerful thing to see such a timeless character like Indiana Jones confront mortality, because goodness knows, all the rest of us have to. 

Harrison Ford gives a spectacular performance as a more seasoned Indiana Jones. 

Let’s be honest here: one wouldn’t think you’d want to see this character as a senior citizen, but Harrison Ford absolutely takes over the task with pride, humanity and his usual whip-smart charisma. Dial Of Destiny follows Dr. Jones as he says goodbye to his long tenure as a college professor in 1969, the same year as the moon landing. Just as he’s downing a whiskey by his lonesome to celebrate the end of his working life, his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe-Waller Bridge) unexpectedly pays him a visit. Her aim is to entice him into one more mission to truly cap off his career in archeology. In great Indy movie fashion, he doesn’t exactly accept a mission or straightforward plan, he just suddenly becomes thrust into the middle of it. 

The character study of Indiana Jones at this particular time in his life comes with riches of opportunities for Harrison Ford to build on his most famous character in ways that are  satisfying and even thought-provoking. Throughout the adventure, Dial of Destiny explores the consequences of chasing the past and its great treasures to the cost of life’s great treasures.

James Mangold finds a sweet spot between grounding our hero and allowing the movie to be (almost) as thrilling as previous installments. While Harrison Ford is definitely not jumping onto numerous moving vehicles or getting into any big fist fights, there are certainly enough action-packed moments to go around. Throughout the movie, there’s tons of great, nostalgic hat-tips between the dialogue contextualizing Indiana Jones history and the story structure taking cues from the franchise itself. It can get all too redundant and referential, but there’s something particularly great about it somewhat keeping its ‘80s flair intact, and not going as dark and gruesome as Mangold went for Logan. 

The addition of Phoebe Waller-Bridge brings a welcome and fresh perspective to the franchise. 

There’s long been talk about whether the casting of Phoebe Waller-Bridge means she’ll be the “next Indiana Jones.” The answer to that question was perfectly echoed by Harrison Ford in a 2019 interview with Today, where he said “Nobody is going to be Indiana Jones, don’t you get it? When I’m gone, he’s gone. It’s easy.” This movie very much underlines that sentiment, including with the addition of Waller-Bridge’s fantastic character, who brings an new dynamic to the franchise without stepping on Indy’s glowing spotlight. Without spoiling the lovely twists and turns that comes with meeting and knowing Helena, she’s now up there among the best righthand women to be with the hero on an adventure. 

The same enthusiasm cannot be shared for all the supporting players in Dial of Destiny. Antonio Banderas plays a vastly underwhelming character, and the appearance of John Rhys-Davies’ Sallah feels like a device for nostalgia. Mads Mikkelsen’s Dr. Voller is an intriguing but not a particularly original villain for the franchise, which is forgivable given his plot fits right into Dial of Destiny’s own motives to cap off Indiana Jones’ big-screen tenure in a poetic and (a tad ironic way). 

The Dial Of Destiny doesn’t live up to the original trilogy, but it doesn’t have to. 

All and all, Dial of Destiny feels most like an ode to the franchise and sweet fanfare for the eponymous character after the upheaval reaction of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. No, it’s still not as great as the chapters in Steven Spielberg’s trilogy, and it’s less of a necessary conclusion or big swing for the franchise as it is a welcome additional chapter. 

There’s elements in this installment that we could only get in 2023 at this point in time in Harrison Ford’s life as Indiana Jones, and it’s worthwhile to experience. We’ve seen the glory days, and this time we get to explore what happens once they’re over. And, you’ve likely never cried before in an Indiana Jones movie, but Dial of Destiny might very well be the one where you do. 

Plenty of superhero fans and general moviegoers were under the impression that they’d seen the last of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine after the release of Logan in 2017. James Mangold’s epic neo-western comic book adaptation was crafted as a send-off for the fan-favorite X-Man. So many were shocked (and delighted) when it was revealed that old Wolvie would return in the upcoming Deadpool 3 to join Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson. Some may be under the impression that this team-up was only thought up a few years ago. But interestingly, Mangold shared a cool detail that makes me realize just how long Jackman had actually pondered the possibility. 

James Mangold worked with Hugh Jackman on two X-Men films, the first being 2013’s The Wolverine and the second, of course, being Logan. The latter proved to be both a critical and financial hit, with many hailing it as a fitting conclusion to the titular character’s story. Around the time that the film dropped, Jackman spoke about his desire to provide closure when it came to the hero’s arc. However, Mangold recently explained that amid production, the Australian actor also had a potential crossover involving the Merc with a Mouth on his brain: 

Keep in mind that James Mangold’s second Marvel pic was filmed in 2016, and that key detail makes the comments he shared with Inverse even more interesting. I’d like to think that those behind-the-scenes conversations between the director and his star didn’t overtake the work that they had in front of them at the time. But still, per Mangold, it would seem that the Greatest Showman alum was somewhat serious about the team-up notion at the time. I honestly love hearing BTS stories like this and, man, do I wish I could’ve been a fly on the wall while the two were discussing the topic and more. 

After Ryan Reynolds confirmed Hugh Jackman’s return for Deadpool 3 near the end of 2022, some fans were likely curious about how James Mangold felt about the development. Hugh Jackman addressed Mangold’s reaction earlier this year, saying that the filmmaker was “really cool about it.” And in addition to sharing the positive thoughts above, Mangold also shared a more detailed reaction, saying that he’s “thrilled” for the actor to be able to re-don his claws. 

Production on the highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe movie is currently underway under the eye of director Shawn Levy, as it’s been reported that the work wouldn’t be halted due to the ongoing WGA writers strike. As is the usual with MCU flicks, plot details are being kept tightly under wraps. The most recent round of rumors point to the threequel being a multiverse-centric romp – one that may or may not even include Ben Affleck’s Daredevil. Of course, just about all of the narrative-related details should be taken with a grain of salt at this point.

What’s known, though, is that the 2024 movie has been pushed up a few months due to Disney shuffling some release dates. It can also be said that Hugh Jackman is psyched to reprise his famous role. He’s been working out vigorously and grew the beard needed to play the part. And with the knowledge that he’s been wanting this for some time now, it’s easy to see why he’s been so enthusiastic about his prep. It’ll be exciting to see him back in character on the big screen, and I’ll bet James Mangold will be among the many who head to the theater to see the flick.

Deadpool 3 is set to release on May 3 as part of the 2024 movie schedule. While you wait for updates, you can stream the first two installments and other X-Men movies using a Disney+ subscription.

Although the Indiana Jones movies aren’t lacking in supporters by any means, the film series is certainly no stranger to polarizing responses. Arguably the best example of this is Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; while there are those who will defend the 2008 movie, critical reception among the fanbase was unquestionably mixed, with many feeling it wasn’t at the same level of quality as the original trilogy. James Mangold, the director and co-writer behind Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, is among those people, and he’s shared his big issue with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

If you’ve been following the news surrounding Dial of Destiny, you know that the 2023 new movie release opens with a World War II-set action sequence featuring a de-aged Harrison Ford, while the movie’s main story takes place in 1969. As Mangold explained to Variety, this sequence serves as a nice contrast to his main complaint with how Indy was depicted in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, namely that it, as the outlet put it, “barely acknowledges that Indy is not only older but has aged out of the 1930s and ’40s era that he’s meant to embody.” In the filmmaker’s words:

Taking place in 1957, 19 years after the events of The Last Crusade, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull did spend a little bit of time bringing up distrust in American society in the midst of the Red Scare, and Harrison Ford’s character does mention to Ray Winstone’s Mac at the beginning of the movie that getting out of their predicament will be harder in part because of their age. But in James Mangold’s mind, the fourth movie didn’t take enough advantage of its ’50s setting and shining a full light on Indy is struggling with changing times. He made sure to avoid that issue when putting Dial of Destiny together.

This is perhaps best exemplified by Indiana Jones taking issue with the U.S. government recruiting Nazis to help with overtaking the Soviets in the space race, including Mads Mikkelsen’s Jürgen Voller, who’s part of the Apollo Moon Landing program. We’ll see Voller and Indy first cross paths in 1944, with the former working to prevent the latter from obtaining the Dial of Destiny, officially known as the Antikythera. Then in 1969, Voller will attempt to find the artifact again and use it to alter time and change the world as he sees fit. 

As for whether or not Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is an improvement over Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, opinion is obviously subjective, the former movie currently ranks at 62% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, while the latter ranks at 77%, though with a 53% Audience Score. So the fifth movie might not be every fan’s cup of tea, though we’ll have a better idea of its overall reception among the masses when it’s released on June 30. Until then, stream the first four movies, as well as the TV series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription.

Making a brand new Indiana Jones movie was going to be a significant undertaking for everybody involved no matter who those people were. But for James Mangold, the pressure had to be significant, as he took over the director's chair from Steven Spielberg. Luckily, while Spielberg may not have been the director, he was apparently always available to Mangold proving his opinions and offering some key advice to Mangold about just how to make an Indiana Jones movie.

Speaking with SiriusXM, James Mangold spoke about the working relationship that he had with Steven Spielberg, who continued to work as the producer of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny after making the decision that he wouldn’t have the time to direct the already long-delayed film. Mangold said one of the big pieces of advice had to do with how to shoot and edit the film, keeping the pace moving by making the movie as if it were a feature-length movie trailer. Mangold explained… 

Having re-watched the Indiana Jones movies streaming recently in anticipation of the new movie, I can understand exactly what he’s talking about. There is very little “downtime” in these movies, as Indy’s adventure takes him from one set piece to the next. It certainly works to keep the audience engaged, and Mangold apparently embraced this idea very strongly.

But that one piece of advice was hardly the only advice that Steven Spielberg gave to James Mangold. In fact, it sounds like Spielberg provided so much advice that it would be impossible to include all of it. Mangold talked about the frequency with which the two would talk, with Spielberg giving his thoughts while the script was in development, and while Dial of Destiny was shooting. Mangold continued… 

But it turns out that Steven Spielberg’s advice still didn’t even stop there, in fact, the way James Mangold sees it, Spielberg’s advice on filmmaking started when he started to watch the director’s films. So in fact, Spielberg has been offering advice since Mangold was a teenager. As Mangold said…

When Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny hits theaters next week, I guess we’ll see just how well James Mangold learned from Steven Spielberg.  

Just when it seemed like the main Star Wars film saga would end with 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, it turns out there are more stories to tell from the intergalactic galaxy far, far away. It appears that with each entry in George Lucas' visionary series, there’s another character’s story to explore or more of an expansion of the events the original trilogy introduced us to. The future Star Wars movie plans were revealed at this year’s Star Wars Celebration, and Indiana Jones 5’s James Mangold will be helming one of them. The Logan director recently explained how his Star Wars movie came to be.

Originally back in 2018, James Mangold was going to join the Star Wars film universe with a possible Boba Fett movie. However, he shot down those rumors of the Bounty Hunter-focused project as he wanted to focus on the biographical sports drama Ford Vs. Ferrari. While a Boba Fett movie might never happen, Mangold has decided to take a step back into the Star Wars saga by telling Gizmodo that he plans on going farther back into the history of the galactic empire before Jedis even came into being.

James Mangold’s upcoming Star Wars movie will be called Dawn of the Jedi, taking place during a time before Jedis existed. This upcoming Star Wars movie will be about the first people to ever use and feel the Force. This can be an intriguing concept since we’re used to seeing Padawan learners like Luke, Anakin, Rey, and others learn about the idea of the Force; but how did a generation of masters learn about this energy field that encompasses everything in the galaxy? Just when you think you know all of the answers to everything having to do with this sci-fi franchise, award-winning filmmakers like James Mangold are willing to fill in the gaps.

I personally think it was a smart move for the Logan director to put his Boba Fett movie on hold to give Star Wars fans something more original to the science-fiction saga. After all, a character origin story like Solo: A Star Wars Story was a box office failure and viewed as the lowest-grossing Star Wars movie. By wanting to delve deep into Star Wars' roots, Mangold decided to trust his instincts and continue to sell his story to the Lucasfilm president. As he shared:

Dawn of the Jedi will be part of a trilogy of Star Wars movies with one of them being Rey returning to the franchise with her own movie directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and Dave Filoni ending the Mando-vese with an upcoming film. Clearly, Kathleen Kennedy was sold on Dawn of the Jedi as her interest in new Star Wars movies came from this sci-fi space opera being a continual story. As you think about how massive this George Lucas-stemmed series turned out to be with its plethora of characters and timeline of events, there’s always a new angle to tell. Kennedy says going forward, the franchise’s film strategy will take some cues from the James Bond movies in releasing a new Star Wars film every three to four years. This way, there will be no pressure to release a new movie from this trilogy every year as the story unfolds gradually.

James Mangold will be going farther into the Star Wars saga than any other filmmaker has, taking us back to day one of when the Force came to be. You better believe the Force will be strong in a number of fans as this upcoming movie will finally answer the burning questions surrounding this mysterious, metaphysical power.

Knight and Day is an example of a Tom Cruise movie you may not have seen. With a plot similar to Killers which also premiered in June 2010, Cameron Diaz plays a woman who accidentally gets caught up with a secret agent, played by Tom Cruise, who is on the run from the CIA. While it’s been 12 years since Knight and Day hit theaters, one fan spoke out about her love of the movie, and its director, James Mangold, had a response to her praise. 

Some may think of Knight and Day as a remarkably average movie that was made for fans who wanted to see Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz together on a whirlwind adventure. However, one person who felt Knight and Day was a great action-comedy romance was film critic Courtney Howard who tweeted everything she loved about this movie:

She brings up some great points as Tom Cruise has been known to dazzle audiences with his leading male status. Plus, we've come to know Cameron Diaz in part for the rom-coms she starred in during the 2000s-2010s with movies like The Holiday, What Happens in Vegas, and What to Expect When You’re Expecting on her resume. So, it’s almost like seeing two different worlds coming together. Howard made sure to post the scene when Tom Cruise’s character decides to walk through a hailstorm of bullets in order to kiss his leading lady. This is definitely, something an action lead like Cruise would be expected to do in this situation, and it was epic.

One thing that makes this film critic incredibly lucky is having her positive spin on the movie seen by Knight and Day director James Mangold himself. He made sure to respond positively to her glowing Twitter review by writing:

It’s such a great compliment to have your film appreciated over a decade later. This brought the opportunity for other Twitter users to recall their favorite scenes and quotes from the movie. 

While there are many who love the film like Howard, when Knight and Day first premiered, it only pulled in $3.8 million on opening day. This is partially due to the heavy competition of Toy Story 3 which was a box office hit that summer. Not only was Knight and Day considered a box office disappointment, but the reviews weren’t very good with many critics noting the lack of chemistry between Cruise and Diaz as well as their issues with the screenplay. However, there's clearly still a crowd that loves this fun movie. 

Knight and Day may not have been the most successful movie of 2010. However, it proves that a movie being a flop doesn’t mean everyone had harsh feelings about it. Courtney Howard sure was a fan of the action-comedy as well as many others, and James Mangold certainly appreciated the love. It just takes tweets like hers to remind us of that. 

While we won't be seeing this team together, all three have exciting movies on the 2023 movie schedule. These upcoming projects include: Mangold putting out Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny on June 30, Cruise releasing Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One on July 12, and Diaz making her return to acting in Back in Action which will likely come out later this year. 

Although the majority of Indiana Jones 5 takes place in 1969 amidst the Space Race, the 2023 new movie release will open in a time period that hasn’t been explored in an Indiana Jones movie before: World War II. Lead actor Harrison Ford was digitally de-aged for an action sequence that will depict his first encounter with Mads Mikkelsen’s Jürgen Voller, the movie’s main antagonist, in 1944, and we got our first taste of how it will look in the Dial of Destiny teaser trailer released last December. However, because the de-aging used on Ford differed compared to how these sequences are usually handled, director James Mangold shared that it came with a big benefit.

As far as shooting the sequence itself went, Mangold noted there wasn’t anything “particularly unusual” about it, as Ford wore dots on his face to capture his expressions and “pretended that he was 35.” That said, the technology used to make the actor look like Indy adventuring a little over half a decade after the events of The Last Crusade. However, the technology utilized for this production stands out because Lucasfilm had a lot of footage of Ford in his 30s and 40s to consult, and the wait time to see how the de-aged Ford looked wasn’t that long. As Mangold explained to Total Film:

With four Indiana Jones movies (which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription) and five Star Wars movies under Harrison Ford’s belt, as well as his appearance in American Graffiti, that’s a lot of Lucasfilm-related material that was available to help with de-aging him for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Naturally it was great that James Mangold was able to get an idea of how the younger-looking actor woulds appear just a few days Larter, and that ended up being a huge time save. The filmmaker continued:

Other characters who will appear in this significant portion of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny include Thomas Kretschmann as Colonel Weber, one of Jürgen Voller’s Nazi allies, and Toby Jones’ Basil Shaw, an ally of Indy and father to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena, who will accompany her godfather on his global romp in 1969. Other members of the Indiana Jones 5 cast include John Rhys-Davies (of course reprising Salad), Antonio Banderas, Boyd Holbrook and Shaunette Renée Wilson. In addition to his directorial work, Mangold also co-wrote the script with Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and David Koepp.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in theaters on June 30. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates about the movie, and don’t forget to look through our ranking of the first four Indiana Jones movies. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine at this point, with the studio consistently producing new content for the small and silver screens. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is definitely Deadpool 3, which will bring the titular character to the shared universe in his first major appearance. And Logan director James Mangold has reacted to Hugh Jackman’s upcoming return as Wolverine in the blockbuster. 

Logan was wildly successful upon its release back in 2017, even earning Mangold an Oscar nomination for the screenplay. After following Logan’s emotional ending, both Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart announced they were retiring from their signature X-Men characters. But they both ended up returning to those roles, and fans can’t wait to see faux feuders Jackman and Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool 3. The director recently spoke to ET about his collaborator returning as Wolverine, saying:

Talk about a class act. It looks like he never really believed Hugh Jackman’s comments about hanging up the claws for good. While the Oscar-nominated actor did take a number of years away from playing everyone’s favorite X-Man, all it took was the right project to get him suited back up. And it turns out Jackman knew he’d be back after watching the first Deadpool movie. And really, who doesn’t want to see Logan and Wade Wilson on the big screen together?

Mangold’s comments show what a great outlook he seems to have on his time working with Jackman on Logan. The movie was universally acclaimed when it hit theaters, with audiences really responding to the gritty tone and emotional story. And when the clawed mutant finally perished, it seemed like a fitting tribute to the actor’s tenure in the role.

Not much is known about Deadpool 3, but the inclusion of Jackman as Wolverine is helping to buoy fan excitement. But Ryan Reynolds recently teased that the Les Miserables actor will be playing a different version of Logan than what we’ve seen before. Given the franchise’s comedic tone and R-rating this makes a great deal of sense. And I can’t wait to see the Merc with the Mouth get cut down to size… literally.

Information about the Deadpool threequel is slowly coming together as the development process continues. The cast of Deadpool 3 is coming together quickly, with a number of actors recently confirmed to be returning. But there are some big questions still up in the air including the fate of Josh Brolin’s Cable.

Deadpool 3 will hit theaters on November 8th, 2024. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

The following contains spoilers for James Mangold’s magnificent Logan. If you haven’t yet seen that movie, back out now… and go watch Logan!

Later this summer, director James Mangold will continue, and we assume conclude, the ongoing Indiana Jones saga with the fifth feature, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. We know a great deal about the upcoming sequel already, and a new trailer dropped that you can find online. But there’s another series that Mangold concluded that was top of mind when we got the opportunity to speak with him at Star Wars Celebration 2023, and that’s Logan. That 2017 movie was meant to be Hugh Jackman’s final go as the razor-handed mutant. Yet, now we know that Jackman will return to the role to star opposite close friend Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool 3. What did Mangold tell Jackman when he heard the news? We asked him:

It’s nice to hear that, at the very least, James Mangold is on board with Hugh Jackman’s choice to put the claws back on and reprise the role of Logan for a Deadpool movie. It couldn’t have been an easy decision to submerge back into the preparation for the role of Wolvie. Jackman has to go through intense physical training to look the part, and talked openly during the Logan press tour that he will not miss the rigorous exercise and strict diet that comes with bringing Wolverine to life on screen. 

And from Mangold’s point of view, it has to be strange to hear that Jackman is going back to the role. Because the duo spent years crafting a worthy finale for the actor and the part, and Logan was a critical and commercial smash. Most thought it was the proper sendoff that the character and the star deserved. I think about this scene often.

However, Ryan Reynolds must have had the right idea to lure Hugh Jackman out of retirement. And the duo have said that whatever happens in Deadpool 3 will take place prior to the events of Logan. So they’re not necessarily messing with any timeline. Though, as Deadpool 2 proved, the fast-talking hero isn’t overly concerned with continuity. They’re just continuing to build on the hilarious friendship that has entertained them (and us) for decades. 

Mangold won’t be involved with Deadpool 3. That gig has gone to Free Guy director Shawn Levy. But as was revealed at Star Wars Celebration, Mangold will transition into the Star Wars universe with a story set 25,000 years before the prequel trilogy, tracing the origin of The Force and the dawn of the Jedi. Keep track of that project and all upcoming Star Wars movies by following our guide, which we update often.

The original Indiana Jones trilogy was a staple of ‘80s cinema, with Raiders of the Lost Ark kicking things off in 1981, The Temple of Doom following in 1984 and The Last Crusade arriving in 1989. Then the polarizing Kingdom of the Crystal Skull came out in 2008, and in summer 2023, Harrison Ford’s tenure as Dr. Henry Jones Jr. will come to an end with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Although there’s 15 years separating those latter two movies, James Mangold, who inherited directing duties from Steven Spielberg for The Dial of Destiny, shared a key challenge this 2023 new movie release shares with its predecessor in the franchise.

Fresh off the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Super Bowl trailer’s premiere, THR has shared new comments from James Mangold about his next movie, which included discussing how, just like in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indy is still having to cope with everything around him moving on. As Mangold explained:

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull took place in 1957, a time when the second Red Scare was still in full swing, and now The Dial of Destiny reunites us with Indy in 1969 against the backdrop of the Space Race. That’s a 12-year gap within the franchise’s timeline, which is a major leap over the events of the original Indiana Jones trilogy unfolding in the late 1930s. More importantly, society in the late 1960s looked a lot different than it did in three decades prior, and so as James Mangold explained, Indiana Jones is still having to navigate the changing times, especially when it comes to what his career entails. Furthermore, the distinction between good guy and bad guy isn’t as clear-cut as it was back in his younger years, like in the movie’s opening World War II-set sequence, which features a de-aged Harrison Ford.

Case in point, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s main antagonist, Mads Mikkelsen’s Jürgen Voller, is an ex-Nazi who was recruited by NASA to work on the Apollo moon landing program. To be clear, Voller is up to no good in this movie, but it just goes to show how there are more shades of grey at work during this time regarding alliances. These shades also apply to the people who are considered heroes in 1969, with astronauts being given such an honor over soldiers of fortune, as James Mangold pointed out. The filmmaker continued:

Although episodes of the TV show The Young Indiana Jone Chronicles were bookended by a nonagenarian, George Hall-played Indiana Jones dealing with everyday life in the ‘90s, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will be our last glimpse of the character coming to terms with how much life has changed in the latter half of the 20th century. Sure, the franchise as a whole will continue in various ways, including Disney+ developing an Indiana Jones spinoff series, but unless the day comes that the reboot button is pressed, it’ll be bittersweet that this will be Indy’s final cinematic outing. Still, from what’s been shown over the last several months, his adventuring days look like they’ll end with a bang.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in theaters on June 30. While we wait for more news on what to expect from the feature, feel free to stream the first four Indiana Jones movies and The Young Indiana Jone Chronicles with your Paramount+ subscription.

The last time the public was treated to a James Mangold movie was in 2019 with Ford v. Ferrari, which went on two Academy Awards, among numerous other accolades. This summer, the filmmaker will make his grand return to the cinematic realm with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which he stepped in to direct after Steven Spielberg decided to step back from that duty after helming the franchise’s previous four movies. We’re still about five months out from that major 2023 movie release, but word’s come in that Mangold is lining up his next blockbuster, and fans of the DC movies should get excited.

Among the big pieces of DC news that was announced this week by DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran for the upcoming Chapter 1 slate, a.k.a. “Gods and Monsters,” was that a new Swamp Thing movie is on the way, and it’s now been revealed that James Mangold is in talks to direct the project. Mangold is reportedly a big fan of the character created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, and the filmmaker even teased his potential Swamp Thing involvement with the below Tweet, which was retweeted by Gunn.

It should be noted that even if James Mangold and DC reach an agreement for the former to tackle Swamp Thing, it will not be the first movie he works on after Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. According to Deadline, Mangold still intends to make the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown next, which stars Dune’s Timothée Chalamet as the singer. Like the other newly-announced DC movies besides Superman: Legacy (which is due out on July 11, 2025), Swamp Thing doesn’t have a release date yet, so it’ll be a while we see what it has to offer, whether Mangold is at the helm or not.

Assuming Swamp Thing is in James Mangold’s future, it will be the second comic book movie on his resume, the first being 2017’s Logan, which had been Hugh Jackman’s final Wolverine appearance until the actor decided to put on the adamantium claws again for Deadpool 3. Swamp Thing was first depicted on the big screen in 1982, and that was followed by 1989’s The Return of Swamp Thing. There have also been two live-action Swamp Thing TV shows, the former airing on USA Network from 1990 to 1993, and the latter having a brief, yer critically well-received life on DC Universe from late May to early August 2019.

Needless to say we’re a ways off from learning any specific plot details about Swamp Thing, but James Gunn said that the movie will “investigate the dark origins” of the character through a horror lens. Swamp Thing will go on to interact with the other characters populating this new shared DC universe, although it remains to be seen if he’ll be used set up the inclusion of other supernatural characters, including his Justice League Dark teammates.

As soon as any other major Swamp Thing details come in, we’ll pass them along. Until then, browse through our guide of upcoming DC movies to learn what else this superhero franchise has coming up, and check out James Mangold’s work in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny when it hits theaters on June 30.

Fans of Hugh Jackman and his portrayal of Wolverine were blown away when Ryan Reynolds dropped the bomb that Jackman would reprise his role in Deadpool 3. This is happening despite the fact that the character died in Logan. One might imagine that those involved in making that epic conclusion to the character might have an issue with the character’s end being undone, but Jackman says that Logan director James Mangold was actually quite cool about the return.

Speaking with Empire (via ComicBook.com), Hugh Jackman was asked about the conversation that he had with James Mangold when he told Logan’s director about his plan to return. Jackman said Mangold had no issues with it, especially after he was assured Wolverine would not be coming back from the dead. Jackman said… 

It was made clear shortly after the original annoucement for the upcoming Deadpool 3 that the movie was set to take place prior to the events of Logan. Since that movie took place in the future, and significantly in the future compared to the rest of the X-Men franchise timeline, it’s honestly not all that difficult to just set this as an additional adventure for the character that took place prior to the end.

Honestly, if Deadpool 3 was literally going to bring Logan back to life there are probably a lot of people other than James Mangold who would have an issue with it. Logan is generally regarded as one of the better comic book movies ever made, and a beautiful finale to Jackman’s time with the role. Undoing that would almost certainly have upset fans.

Having said that, seeing Wolverine and Deadpool together in a movie is something that fans have wanted to see for a long time, so there will surely be excitement surrounding this one. Jackman and Reynolds have an incredibly close relationship and an incredibly hilarious relationship that is sure to translate into a one-of-a-kind film. It will certainly make for a very different tone for Wolverine's return that the dramatic and emotional Logan. The one thing the two films will have in common is an R-rating.

Deadpool 3 is currently set to open in November 2024, which means the film should start shooting later this year. The movie will mark the Marvel Cinematic Universe debut for both characters, so it should be interesting to see how that gets handled, assuming the plan isn’t to simply ignore all that and let the movie just be completely ridiculous.  

Correcting the internet can be a job in and of itself, as evidenced by Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s co-writer/director James Mangold. As he’s been gearing up for the debut of his 2023 new movie release, the helmer behind the fourth sequel with Harrison Ford’s iconic character hasn’t been shy about correcting misinformed rumors about the production.

While he did take a break from setting the trolls straight, Mangold returned to duty, providing some new information towards where Indy’s final ride currently sits. Through his Twitter feed, the Logan director revealed recently that the new Indiana Jones movie is “99% finished.” 

Specifically mentioning that the VFX are incomplete and the official MPAA rating is still in the works, things are still on track for the June 30th opening. All of this was spurred by the persistent claim that an alternate ending was being crafted in reshoots, which James Mangold shot down as something that never happened.

A movie as huge as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is always going to have some wild rumors that catch fire. It just so happens that this round of Professor Jones’ adventures has spurred some rather huge assumptions, like the rumor that Indiana Jones’s mantle would be “take over” by someone else. This is another rumor James Mangold has had to shut down several times, as Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character was reported to be the erroneous usurper.

Creating the next chapter of Indiana Jones history is an intimidating, exciting job that even Steven Spielberg himself probably felt nervous to take on at times. While there’s still plenty of details being kept under lock and key after the release of the Indiana Jones 5 trailer, James Mangold is still keeping up appearances, striking down false claims and hyping everyone up in the process. 

Though some peeks into where this next picture is going have been provided by Mangold himself, like the knowledge that while we won’t be seeing Shia LaBoeuf in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Mutt’s fate will be addressed. Perhaps the next round of footage, whenever it premieres, will shed light on this and many other mysteries that are still outstanding. And yet with every answer people get, or think they get, there’s probably going to be at least five rumors that will crop up in response. 

James Mangold’s work as a troll-smasher isn’t over just yet. While he’s fighting the good fight, the previous Indiana Jones cinematic adventures are all available in one place. You can use either a Prime Video or Paramount+ subscription to backtrack through Dr. Henry Jones Jr.’s travels, which can help form theories with cold, hard facts. That’s probably a good idea, as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will return the good doctor to the big screen on June 30th.

Both Harrison Ford and filmmaker James Mangold have made it reasonably clear that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will be the last time the actor will don the iconic fedora and whip. Since the movie began adding A-List talent to its cast (including the likes of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, and Antonio Banderas), the internet has been buzzing with rumors of potential replacements for Ford. Mangold, however, has heard enough of the wild fan theories and has begun personally shutting down major rumors surrounding the sequel. 

The Logan director took to Twitter to respond to a now-deleted tweet. In his response, he says there have never been any discussions concerning replacing Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. This rumor sprouted up early on and seemingly hasn't died down since the fifth Indy outing was announced. James Mangold wrote:

Since as far back as 2021, rumors abound that Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who is set to star as Indy’s goddaughter Helena in The Dial of Destiny, would take over by the film’s end. However, this was merely an unsupported fan theory that James Mangold has shut down. According to the moviemaker, these rumors are just trolls trying to rile fans up for clicks. The acclaimed director also had some other brutally honest words for the commentators, including an analogy that involves a "blind squirrel." In his own words:

This past week, Disney and Lucasfilm finally dropped the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny trailer and ever since, the de-aged Harrison Ford is all the Internet can seemingly focus on. Who can blame them? With such convincing de-aging tech, why would Indy need a replacement? Ford could play this character a bit longer–albeit through technology -- if he really wanted to. 

Although most of Indiana Jones 5's plot is tightly under wraps, we know the bulk of the film takes place in 1969 against the backdrop of the space race. However, fans recently learned the movie opens with a World War II-set action sequence features the aforementioned de-age Indy, who will only be several years removed from the events of 1989's The Last Crusade. And the trailer for the movie promises a return to form and a proper send-off for the beloved action-adventure character. Let's hope it lives up to the hype and that in the lead-up to its release, James Mangold doesn't have to keep contending with trolls.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in theaters on June 30, 2023. You can stream the previous Indiana Jones movies and the TV series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles using a Paramount+ subscription. To chart out all of your future theater-going plans, make sure to check out our 2023 new movie release schedule. 

Hugh Jackman has had a long, successful career on the stage and screen, but his name is most synonymous with his tenure playing X-Men hero Wolverine. Prior to news that he would be taking up the claws again for Deadpool 3, James Mangold’s Logan served as the final chapter and emotional conclusion to that signature character’s story. That movie starred young actress Dafne Keen as Laura/ X-23, and she recently shared the sweet way Jackman and and Mangold mentored her on the superhero flick’s set.

Dafne Keen made a splash a Laura in Logan, with her fierce performance universally acclaimed–especially considering how young she was at the time. Many moviegoers want to see her return as X-23, although it’s unclear if that’ll ever happen. Keen recently spoke with our sister site Marie Claire, where she revealed the major lesson that Hugh Jackman taught her while working on the acclaimed superhero flick. In her words:

Talk about a class act. While actors are often the face of a movie project, there are thousands of people that go into the release of major motion pictures. Hugh Jackman is an actor who clearly resorts and values film crews, and that was something that he passed on to Dafne Keen throughout the process of bringing the Oscar-nominated Logan to life on the screen. No wonder he’s such a beloved figure in the entertainment industry.

Dafne Keen’s memories about Hugh Jackman and her time working on Logan come as she’s promoting the third and final season of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Eventually the conversation turned to her time in the superhero genre, and the experience of working on the gritty drama at such a young age. And it sounds like her big Hollywood break offered quite a few lessons at the time.

Of course, Hugh Jackman wasn’t the only one passing nuggets of wisdom to Dafne Keen during Logan’s principal photography. James Mangold wrote and directed the movie, and was able to collaborate well with the young actress. In the same interview, she revealed a valuable lesson he taught her, saying:

That’s some sound logic. This bit of acting advice is one that has been used in countless stage and film productions around the world. Namely that giving too much is better than not enough; it’s easy to pull back an actor but not as easy to get them to truly go for it. Dafne Keen was a force of nature in Logan, so it’s clear that this direction worked out well.

Hugh Jackman is expected to appear in Deadpool 3 on November 8th, 2024. The new season of Dafne Keen’s His Dark Materials will debut on HBO Max on December 5th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. Sadly, it’s unclear if Keen will ever play X-23 again.

Indiana Jones 5 is one of the most anticipated films of 2023, so it’s no wonder that fans have been speculating about what’s to come for the franchise. While some Indiana Jones 5 details have been confirmed, like Harrison Ford’s return as the titular adventurer and Phoebe Waller-Bridge playing Indiana Jones’s goddaughter, much of the plot is being kept under wraps. This has led to some wild fan theories appearing on social weekend, one of which director James Mangold took to Twitter to squash ahead of the film’s release. 

One fan on Twitter said that an inside source of theirs had seen a test screening of the new film. This “source” claimed that Kathleen Kennedy, who is the head of Lucasfilm, replaced Indiana Jones with a woman at the end of Indiana Jones 5, and that the test audiences were very unhappy with this. This isn’t a new rumor, as talk about Waller-Bridge replacing Ford has been circulating for a while. Director Mangold put these rumors to rest and denied that this was the case. He also stated that there haven’t been any screenings of the film, and anyone saying so shouldn’t be believed. You can check out the full tweet below:

Clearly fans just have to wait and see what happens when the film is released next summer. Nobody besides those directly involved with the project have seen the latest Indiana Jones film, and anyone saying they have online shouldn't be believed. There are several smart filmmakers and creatives involved, and the story at the center will likely serve fan interests, so those worried about Indy being replaced can calm their worries. 

Any rumors about replacing Harrison Ford are constantly squashed, so there is probably no replacing the veteran actor. The role was previously rumored to be passed on to Chris Pratt, which was debunked time and time again. Ford has also stated that when he dies, the role will die with him, so that should settle it.

This isn’t the first time Mangold has taken to Twitter to clear the air about Indiana Jones. He has benevolently chatted with fans about John Williams' new score while finishing up the latest Indy project. The director has also clapped back at haters who all seem to have an opinion on Indiana Jones 5 before even seeing the film. Hopefully these people will be kept at bay when they finally see the trailer for the much-anticipated film. Early Indiana Jones 5 reactions from a sneak peak shown at D23 are spectacular, so fans of the franchise have a lot to look forward to. 

Indiana Jones 5 is set to hit theaters nationwide on June 30th, 2023, so we won't have to wait long to see everyone’s favorite archeologist back in action. In the meantime, you can stream the previous four installments with a Paramount+ subscription. For more information on other long awaited films hitting theaters next year, make sure to check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 movie release schedule.

Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine in Deadpool 3 shook the internet after Jackman had been adamant his days as the X-Man were over. Of course, Logan director James Mangold got wind of the news. Having crafted the character’s swan song, it was expected the Oscar-nominated director would have something to say. He had a humorous take on the big reveal. Mangold learned social media isn’t the place for humor. The Logan director left Marvel fans miffed over his funny response.

Upon hearing about Jackman playing Wolverine once again, the filmmaker decided to be a little cheeky and posted a meme of the character being stabbed by a tree branch after being hoisted up by Pierce on his Twitter account. Mangold meant for it to be funny, but Marvel fans weren’t laughing cause of discourse among the fandom. After the post went viral, the Ford v. Ferrari director hopped back on the platform to issue an apology for causing such a steer.

See the Oscar-nominated director wasn’t trying to be shady or spitting bitterness toward anyone involved with Deadpool 3. He even went as far as tagged Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in his apology. That proved there are no hard feelings between the men as they are all connected to the Wolverine legacy. He’s as hyped for the genetically modified mutant to return to the big screen as fans are.

It not only caught the eye of Marvel fans, but Reynolds himself. The Adam Project star kept things simple by replying with a goat emoji. So, the 45-year-old actor got the humor and understood how important the superhero movie was to the character’s popularity. While the MCU star was okay with Mangold’s words, the fans weren’t as forgiving. One user pointed out the Oscar-nominated film was set in future as the Deadpool 2 sequel is set in the present.

Another replier took the timeline a little further by pointing out the exact years each film takes place. The Marvel devotee just wanted Wolverine to be used better than Patrick Stewart’s Professor Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Soon, another Marvel fan chimed in to remind Mangold the MCU is currently in the Multiverse Saga. He pointed out the fans have been wanting these team-up.

It appeared the user wanted a do-over for 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Another commenter mistook Mangold’s humor for bitterness over Logan before echoing the sentiment of needing Wolverine and Deadpool together once more.

One user appeared to empathize with Mangold’s take by calling the 2017 film “a perfect send-off.” They called out 20th Century and Marvel for their overuse of certain characters.

Upon seeing the director’s post, another replier signaled Logan was more of an alternated storyline like Xavier in Doctor Strange 2. They couldn’t help but wait for Jackman’s Wolverine return.

It appeared fans and Reynolds’ wishes have come true after he added Jackman to a Deadpool video. He continued the Wolverine MCU campaign with his Deadpool 3 idea and asked fans to write Marvel CEO Kevin Feige for the mutant’s inclusion. Now, fans can see Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman team up once again when Deadpool 3 drops in 2024. The Deadpool 2 sequel is part of the full slate of upcoming Marvel movies premiering over the next few years.

While the general public is presumably still a ways off from seeing the first Indiana Jones 5 trailer given that the movie isn’t coming out for another nine months, there are lucky individuals over the last few weeks who’ve been treated to some goodies from Harrison Ford’s final outing as the fedora-wearing, whip-wielding archaeologist. Indiana Jones 5 footage debuted exclusively to D23 attendees this past weekend, and before that, composer John Williams premiered one of the movie’s pieces of music at the Hollywood Bowl. Now director James Mangold has talked about putting the “finishing touches” on Indiana Jones 5 while responding to an inquiry about “Helena’s Theme,” the aforementioned musical piece.

This all started when a fan asked James Mangold on Twitter if he’d convinced John Williams to release “Helena’s Theme” on digital, to which Mangold answered, “All in good time.” This led to another fan urging Mangold to push for “a 2 CD or 3 CD release worth of music for the soundtrack instead of the usual 1 CD 75 minute release,” as according to them, the latter only contains less than half of the music recorded for a movie, which, as they said, “never” does John Williams “music justice.” Mangold said to that person:

So James Mangold is confident that this fan’s wish for a multi-disc Indiana Jones 5 album will be granted,  although this is by no means an officially done deal. As far as Mangold goes though, he’s focused on finishing up the movie itself, which he was announced to be directing in February 2020 after Steven Spielberg decided to set down the helming reins, though he remained involved as a producer. It wasn’t until June 2021 that Indiana Jones 5 began filming, and principal photography concluded in late February. Seven months later, Mangold (who also co-wrote the script with Jez and John-Henry Butterworth) and his team are nearly done piecing Indiana Jones 5 together, and after that the only thing left to do will be to promote the blockbuster closer to its wide release.

Disney and Lucasfilm are still keeping specific plot details about Indiana Jones 5 under wraps, but the proverbial picture has become a little clearer regarding the 2023 movie holds in store. For one thing, the D23 footage revealed that John Rhys-Davies is reprising Indy’s old friend Sallah for the first time since 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Furthermore, the Helena in “Helena’s Theme” is Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character, who is Indiana Jones’ goddaughter. The Indiana Jones 5 cast also includes Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Boyd Holbrook, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Toby Jones, Antonio Banderas and Olivier Richters, but none of their characters have been officially identified.

Indiana Jones 5 will premiere in theaters on June 30, 2023, so don’t forget to keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates about the movie. For now though, you can look at hm reuniting with Temple of Doom co-star Ke Huy Quan at D23, as well as see his interactions with The Marvels’ Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, Teyonah Parris and Nia DaCosta at the same event.

At long last, Indiana Jones is coming back. Harrison Ford's beloved big screen adventurer has been away for nearly a full decade-and-a-half, but next year he will be in theaters everywhere starring in a new sequel from his eponymous series, and fans are only getting more and more excited for the blockbuster. Sadly, we still have no idea what Indiana Jones 5 will actually be called – which means we don't quite know what special legend Indy will be unraveling this time out – but today we did get an exciting first look at the film while on the ground covering the on-going D23 Expo 2022.

Today's big event in Hall D23 of the Anaheim Convention Center was the Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios & 20th Century Studios Presentation. During the Lucasfilm portion of the event, studio president Kathleen Kennedy took to the stage to introduce footage and talent from the worlds of Star Wars, Willow and more, but arguably the most exciting portion of the show was the time dedicated to Indiana Jones 5. While the title of the movie wasn't revealed, director James Mangold, Harrison Ford, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge were all on hand to discuss their work on the project and introduce the very first publicly shown footage from the blockbuster.

Indiana Jones 5 delivered a sizzle reel for the D23 Expo audience, the preview of the movie beginning with various shots of the titular character in action – involved in a car chase in the desert, being underwater and in his classroom teaching. While this unfolds, we hear a voice over from another beloved character: John Rhys Davies' Sallah. Clearly speaking with Indy, the Raiders of the Lost Ark and Last Crusade hero laments,

In response, we hear Indiana Jones explain that "Those days have come and gone," but Sallah retorts that that may not really be the case. Showing up on screen for the first time, he says, "Perhaps. Perhaps not."

The latter certainly seems to be the case, as the Indiana Jones 5 footage then showed off a slew of badass clips, including Indy riding on horseback, a chase on top of a train, the hero seemingly kick starting a rolling boulder, and a motorcycle pursuing a plane that is taking off on a runway.

While this footage unfolds, more voice over continues, this time from the central hero. It seems that whatever Indiana Jones 5 is about, it will once again have some kind of fantastical/magical twist, as Indy says,

Leaving the best moment for last, the Indiana Jones 5 footage concluded with a scene featuring the lead character in a room  crowded with enemies. Indy takes out his whip and starts cracking it around the room, trying to get everyone to step off and get back... but that's just seconds before they all pull out guns, preparing to blow the hero away. The scene essentially reverses the dynamic in the brilliant moment in Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indy takes down a talented swordsman with a single shot, and he has to duck as everyone suddenly opens fire on him.

It was a terrific preview of the upcoming 2023 movie, effortlessly effusing the wonderful and fun energy that has made the Indiana Jones franchise so popular ever since it first launched in the early 1980s. The film may be the first in the series not to have Steven Spielberg at the helm, but it seems that James Mangold most definitely understands the brilliant tone of these movies, and the new sequel looks like a terrific ride. 

Featuring a terrific cast including Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Thomas Kretschmann, Antonio Banderas, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook and Mads Mikkelsen, Indiana Jones 5 is now less than a year away from release – having wrapped production earlier this year. The film is set to hit theaters everywhere on June 30, 2023, and you're looking for distractions from the hype to ease your anxiety, head on over to our 2022 Movie Release Calendar to learn about all of the movies hitting theaters and streaming before the end of the year. 

You can also enjoy more of CinemaBlend's D23 Expo 2022 coverage by checking out our recap of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's D23 Expo footage, reading about the newly announced Thunderbolts lineup, and much more,

The continued work on Indiana Jones 5 has been a subject of much excitement amongst fans of the franchise. Information about the film has come out slowly, which is good because I'm not sure anyone really wants to be spoiled about what's coming. However, one of the stars of the film, Boyd Holbrook, has finally given fans a little sneak peek into the making of the fifth Indy flick, and Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold’s influence on its scale.

Speaking to Men’s Health, the Sandman star could not say enough good things about the project. He even bandied about the term "badass." Holbrook said of the upcoming sequel: 

Information about the film has been hard to come by. Production has been riddled with delays due to script changes, scheduling conflicts, and of course, the imposed changes as a result of COVID. Despite this, Indiana Jones 5 wrapped production earlier this year, and given Boyd Holbrook has seen at least a chunk of the film, hopefully the time of delays is coming to an end. 

The film is said to revolve around the space race, and is set in 1960s New York City. Mads Mikkelsen will be playing the film’s main villain, a Nazi soldier recruited by the United States to work towards the NASA initiative to put a man on the moon. Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge will also be playing a role that has not been specified. Nothing has been said to how Indiana Jones’s talents will play a role in saving the day, but I’m sure he will find a way, lasso in tow. 

In addition, casting choices seemed to be an object of much conversation. After years of rumors that Chris Pratt would be playing the title character, it was announced Harrison Ford would be reprising his role as the famed archaeologist. Ford later said the Indy role would die with him, which is hysterical, and a very “Harrison Ford” response.

Well, I personally can’t wait to see Ford’s razor sharp wit on full display when Indiana Jones' latest adventure (finally) releases next summer. Holbrook has a lot to live up to, but he is no stranger to starring in iconic franchises. Along with Logan, the actor starred in 2018’s take on The Predator franchise, and currently starring in Netflix’s The Sandman, based on the beloved Neil Gaiman comic book series. 

While we all wait patiently for more Indiana Jones 5 news, you can catch Boyd Holbrook in The Sandman, currently streaming on Netflix. Also, if you want to keep an eye on other movies to look out for next year, you can check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 movie release schedule. 

Now that we have The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars Day at our backs, it's time to look forward to what is next for the Star Wars franchise. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of Star Wars being released, and there is exciting news on that front below, as well as what we can expect before and after that hallowed date.

There is a brand new adventure starring Ryan Gosling coming next year and an assortment of small-screen adventures; there’s so much to look forward to in the next few years. In the coming months and years, the list of best Star Wars movies and great Disney+ original shows could grow deeper and richer as these highly anticipated theatrical releases (the first in nearly a decade), new streaming shows, which are all available with a Disney+ subscription, and much more come our way.

Star Wars: A New Hope (February 19, 2027)

Fans who have been begging for Disney to re-release the original version of Star Wars will get their wish when the 1977 film that started it all returns to the big screen for a short time on February 19, 2027.

Nearly 50 years after George Lucas changed the world, moviegoers will get to see the director’s original, unaltered vision for the first time in decades, meaning all of the CGI and additional scenes from the 1997 “Special Edition” won’t be included.

Though Disney and Lucasfilm have yet to announce if The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi will receive similar treatment in the years to come, let’s cross our fingers and hope it happens. That said, it would have been cool if the full Original Trilogy was re-released in theaters like it’s the spring of 1997 all over again.

Star Wars: Starfighter - May 28, 2027

The biggest date on the upcoming calendar was revealed at Star Wars Celebration Japan in April 2025. Star Wars: Starfighter will bring one of the most in-demand actors to the galaxy when Ryan Gosling leads Shawn Levy’s long-in-the-works project. According to StarWars.com, the new original movie will follow Gosling’s still-unnamed starfighter as he navigates the galaxy five years after the events of 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. It will hit big screens about a year from now, on May 28, 2027.

This may be Gosling’s first franchise film, but he's no stranger to being a hero in space, as he's coming off the heels of the wildly successful Project Hail Mary this spring. In terms of plot, we still don't know anything, but we do know that production wrapped back in December 2025. So far, we've only seen the briefest of teasers, which revealed only the name and release date. We can't wait for a full trailer!

Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi - 2026

Star Wars: Visions Season 3 hit Disney+ towards the end of 2025, and that isn’t the only anime-influenced show set in the “galaxy far, far away” in the near future. StarWars.com has revealed Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi, a new spinoff following the adventures of Kara and Juro from “The Ninth Jedi” in the show’s first season. The expanded series will allow writer and director Kenji Kamiyama to further explore one of the most popular stories from Visions so far.

It's been a little over a year since there have been any updates on this, as of May 2026, so hopefully we'll hear more soon

Carlton Cuse’s Star Wars Show - TBD

One of the more interesting, albeit mysterious, Star Wars projects is Carlton Cuse’s in-the-works TV show he’s making alongside his son, Nick Cuse. When it was first announced back in April 2025, outlets like Variety reported that the Lost co-showrunner was working on something set in the galaxy far, far away, but didn’t know what it was going to be about, when it was set, or if it would focus on established or brand-new characters.

We’re at the one-year mark, and we still have more questions than answers about what the Cuse father-son duo has planned for audiences. Hopefully, that changes sooner rather than later, as Cuse’s style and attention to detail would work handsomely in the Star Wars universe. Like a few other projects on this list, as of May 2026, it's been over a year since we've heard anything more about this.

Ahsoka Season 2 - TBD

With all the cliffhangers in the Ahsoka Season 1 finale, fans were hopeful they would get some closure at some point in the future, and that very well may happen. In January 2024, Variety reported that the show’s second season was in development at Lucasfilm with Dave Filoni once again leading the charge.

According to ScreenRant, new details about the upcoming season were revealed at Star Wars Celebration 2025, including the return of Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker and Lars Mikkelsen’s Grand Admiral Thrawn. There’s also the debut of Game of Thrones alum Rory McCann, who is taking over the role of Baylan for the late Ray Stevenson. Bryce Dallas Howard, who directed two episodes of the upcoming season, called the new chapter “beautiful,” “thrilling,” “adventurous,” and “romantic.”

There had been talk of Ashoka Season 2 arriving on Disney+ at some point on the 2026 television schedule, but it's since gotten a release window for early 2027.

Simon Kinberg’s Star Wars Trilogy - TBD

Simon Kinberg has been one of the busiest names in show business as of late. In addition to co-creating Star Wars Rebels, he's helmed projects like The Running Man remake and that new Star Trek big-screen adventure in the works. As reported by Deadline in November 2024, the writer and producer is working on a Star Wars trilogy of his own.

Details are limited at best at this point in the project’s development. During a January 2026 interview with Deadline, outgoing Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy explained that Kinberg’s movie is still in the works, adding that he turned in a 70-page treatment a few weeks earlier and that he’d have more in March. March has since come and gone. The status of these is, at best, unknown.

Untitled Rey Movie - TBD

Those who thought Rey’s (Daisy Ridley) story was over with the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ending may want to think again, as the character is supposedly getting her own movie. Originally, Lost and The Leftovers creator Damon Lindelof was writing a Star Wars movie with partner Justin Britt-Gibson, and Shareen Obaid-Chinoy, who directed several episodes of Ms. Marvel, had been tapped to direct the mystery project. However, by March 2023, Lindelof and Britt-Gibson departed the project, and shortly thereafter, it was revealed that Peaky Blinders' Steven Knight had taken over scriptwriting duties, who also later left the project.

The project is still in a state of limbo as of May 2026.

Lando - TBD

Those holding out for a show based on the exploits of one of the galaxy’s coolest scoundrels are in for some good news and bad news. The good news first… Lando, which was first announced back in December 2020, is still in the works. However, it’s reportedly no longer a show but a full-fledged movie.

We’ve learned more about Lando over the years, including the fact that Donald Glover and his brother, Stephen, are behind the project, which was originally developed by Justin Simien. In September 2024, Glover told the Wall Street Journal that he wanted “it to be fun,” but didn’t elaborate on the status of his return to the Star Wars universe. In her big exit interview with Deadline in early 2026, Kathleen Kennedy said that Glover had turned in a script for the long-dormant project.

Untitled Dave Filoni Movie - TBD

After being arguably the most influential figure in Star Wars television for years, the time has come for new Lucasfilm chief Dave Filoni to leave his mark on the franchise's cinematic realm. It was announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023 as part of the latest update on the franchise's movie plans that he will direct a feature about "the escalating war between the Imperial Remnant and the fledgling New Republic."

After years of back-and-forth and plans that never amounted to much, THR reported in January 2026 that the project had been placed on the back burner, in favor of Filoni possibly continuing the Mando and Grogu story. I supposed we'll just have to see how the final box office shakes out for the first movie.

Star Wars Movies And Shows With Unknown Statuses

Though there are a great number of upcoming Star Wars movies and shows with release dates or at least updates from the past year, there are several others currently up in the air. Here are a few projects that are vague for now.

Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi - TBD

James Mangold is hard at work on a long-in-the-works Star Wars project. The filmmaker behind A Complete Unknown is set to helm Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, a movie that will take place roughly 25,000 years before any of the previous stories in the franchise that have been chronicled on film and television. The filmmaker described this project as a "Biblical epic" that takes a Ten Commandments-like approach to showing the origins of the Force.

The status of the project has been in limbo for some time, and in March 2026, Jeff Sneider appeared on The Hot Mic, where he said things didn’t look good for the movie. This isn’t something confirmed by Disney, but we shall see.

Taika Waititi Standalone Movie - TBD

It has been more than four years since it was first announced that Taika Waititi was working on a Star Wars movie after first directing The Mandalorian Season 1 finale. But nearly a half-decade after word began to spread, we have no movie and no idea what it’s about. There have been smaller updates over the years, like the one about 1917 writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns penning the script, but nothing big has come out in a long time.

In her January 2026 exit interview with Deadline (the one mentioned above), Kathleen Kennedy said the project was “still somewhat alive,” but it’s hard to say what that means at this time. This seems like yet another project that is on the backburner, at best.

The Mandalorian Season 4 - Disney+ - TBD

In February 2023, showrunner Jon Favreau revealed that he'd finished writing all of the episodes for The Mandalorian Season 4 and that the next season would connect with Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew. Taking into account the Dave Filoni-helmed movie now in development, we are not fully sure when the next installment in the popular series will premiere or what kind of story it will tell once the show does return.

In 2025, Favreau told Empire Magazine (via MovieWeb) that he still had Season 4 sitting on his desk and that it was structured more like a movie and less like a serialized show. The Mandalorian & Grogu is, according to Favreau, not a replacement for the series, but it may serve to be the end of the story. We'll have to see.

Be on the lookout for more information about these and other yet-to-be-announced projects in the coming weeks and months.

Earlier today, Goodfellas and Field of Dreams actor Ray Lotta passed away at the age of 67. No details about his death have been revealed other than he passed in his sleep while in the Dominican Republic to shoot his latest project, Dangerous Waters. With a career that last four decades, Liotta touched a lot of lives over his time on Earth, and in addition to plenty of fans expressing sadness that he’s no longer with us, many celebrities, including Seth Rogen and Jamie Lee Curtis, have turned to social media to pay tribute to him.

Starting off, we have Seth Rogen, who co-starred with Ray Liotta in 2009’s Observe and Report, the dark comedy about a vigilante mall cop who tries to join the police academy. Rogen said the following about getting to work with Liotta:

Going to Jamie Lee Curtis, she went way back with Ray Liotta, with the two of them starring together in 1988’s Dominick and Eugene, which was about twin brothers, one of whom became intellectually disabled after an accident. Curtis summarized her feelings about Liotta with these words:

I’ve already mentioned the movie, but it bears repeating that one of Ray Liotta’s most well-known flicks was Goodfellas, the film adaptation about the rise and fall of mobster Henry Hill. Among Liotta’s costars in the 1990 crime movie was Lorraine Bracco, who played the Karen Hill to Liotta’s Henry. Bracco said this about the late actor:

Next, we have James Mangold, who directed Ray Liotta in both 1997’s Cop Land and 2003’s Identity. Here’s how Mangold remembered his time with Liotta:

One of Ray Liotta’s final onscreen appearances before his death was in The Many Saints of Newark, where he played twin brothers “Hollywood Dick” and “Sally” Moltisanti. Liotta appeared opposite Alessandro Nivola, who played Dickie Moltisanti, Dick’s son, and Nivola recalled the time he spent with Liotta on the Sopranos prequel movie as follows:

Finally, although Rosanna Arquette never acted in any projects with Ray Liotta, they were friends in real life, so you can understand out his death would hit her especially hard. Arquette honored Liotta with the following:

These are just some of the celebrities who’ve paid tribute to Ray Liotta following his death, either on social media or in official statements (like what Robert De Niro told ET), so feel free to look around to see what other people have said. Liotta’s other major credits over the years included Something Wild, Smokin’ Aces, The Place Beyond the Pines, Marriage Story, two Muppet-led movies and the NBC series Shades of Blue, which he co-starred in with Jennifer Lopez. While it’s unclear what will happen with Liotta’s role in the previously-mentioned Dangerous Waters, he will appear in a handful of posthumously-released upcoming movies, including the wild Elizabeth Banks-directed thriller Cocaine Bear.

We here at CinemaBlend offers our condolences to Ray Liotta’s family and friends during this difficult time. He will be missed.

For years we’ve been anticipating Harrison Ford’s return to his iconic fedora and whip-smart character for Indiana Jones 5 and that time is finally getting closer. During Star Wars Celebration at the Anaheim Convention Center, the Lucasfilm property invaded a panel of announcements to share the first official image from the James Mangold-directed upcoming movie. 

The first Indiana Jones 5 image is here and it features Harrison Ford back in his classic outfit in a beautiful silhouette image. Check out Indy back in action, via Twitter: 

The image sees Harrison Ford walking on a bridge as a beam of yellow-tinted light comes from above him, highlighting his memorable profile. It is reminiscent of Spielberg often playing with light and shadows when the character enters a scene in previous Indiana Jones films. 

Harrison Ford took the stage at Star Wars celebration on Thursday to the audience’s surprise, alongside John Williams, who was conducting a full orchestra and playing his beloved Indiana Jones theme music, which he will once again compose for the fifth film. CinemaBlend was in attendance. Ford said he was “really proud” of Indiana Jones 5 amidst the first image being shown amidst Star Wars announcements like the first Andor trailer, Jude Law joining Star Wars and another off-topic announcement with the Willow series trailer.

Director James Mangold, who previously helmed movies including Logan, Walk the Line and Ford v Ferrari, takes over Steven Speilberg’s mantle for the first time in the franchise’s history. Speilberg remains an executive producer on Indiana Jones 5 alongside producers Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel. 

The fifth Indiana Jones movie has been in active development since 2016, with an initial release date back in 2019, but a number of shake ups delayed the film. Original screenwriter David Koepp was replaced by Jonathan Kasdan, who was then replaced by Dan Fogelman. After Speilberg stepped down as director and James Mangold stepped in, he wrote a new screenplay alongside his Ford v Ferrari collaborators Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. 

Indiana Jones 5 began filming in June 2021 and wrapped in February. The movie starring Harrison Ford has a stacked cast including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Antonio Banderas, Toby Jones and Boyd Holbrook. The plot for the film has been kept under wraps, but it is expected to be Ford’s final outing as Indiana Jones. 

The upcoming Indiana Jones movie is expected to hit theaters on June 30, 2023, just a week after the DCEU’s long-awaited The Flash movie and a week before the release of Marvel Spider-Verse spinoff film Madame Web, starring Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney. 

Indiana Jones 5 comes fifteen years after the last Indy film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull disappointed and divided many fans. Here’s to Harrison Ford’s final time as the action hero hopefully ending the franchise on a high note. 

Filming recently wrapped on the fifth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise, and while producer Frank Marshall celebrated by posting a very cool hat he owns (and making many Indy fans rather jealous), director James Mangold used the opportunity to update interested parties on  when we might get an official trailer, image, or even a title treatment. Now that the film has been shot, there should be more than enough footage available to cut together a teaser for the next (last?) Indiana Jones movie. But according to Mangold, we might want to settle in and be patient, because it isn’t coming any time soon. The director Tweeted:

If we had to guess the timing of a trailer drop for Indiana Jones 5, we’d place it closer to the one-year countdown for the release of the film. Because all sorts of schedule shuffles have meant that fans will have to wait until June 30, 2023 to see the as-yet-untitled Indiana Jones 5… and that’s IF that date holds. The movie faced a number of hiccups during production, caused by injuries to leading man Harrison Ford, and the tragic death of a crew member while the movie was filming in Morocco. But at this stage of production, filming is complete, so James Mangold can head into the edit and assemble his final cut… barring any need for reshoots to clean up anything he’s missing. 

At this stage in the game, almost everything about Indiana Jones 5 outside of the casting is a mystery. An absence of facts have led to wild speculation, including the idea that Indiana Jones 5 might send the famed archaeologist to space. For now, we believe that Nazis are somehow involved in the plot, and the action will take place in the 1960s, taking into account Harrison Ford’s actual age as the character, and possibly tying into the space race that consumed America during that decade.

As for fellow cast members, Indiana Jones 5 announced the appearances of Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Casino Royale baddie Mads Mikkelsen, and the always welcome Antonio Banderas. We are keeping our fingers crossed that Disney doesn’t see any need to delay this movie, or any of the other blockbusters on the studio’s calendar. But if they do, you know that we will make the necessary updates to our 2022 upcoming movies feature, so bookmark that, and check it often.  

The Harrison Ford-led Indiana Jones 5 is one of the most anticipated films of 2022, so it’s no surprise that many fans have been closely checking for updates on James Mangold’s film. Just a few days ago, producer Frank Marshall revealed that production was in the “home stretch.” Well, it would seem the cast and crew have made it though, as both Mangold and Marshall have confirmed that principal photography has been completed. With this, both found apt ways to celebrate the milestone. 

The two creatives both took to Twitter to announce the end of filming this weekend. James Mangold marked the occasion with a cheeky post. In it, he used an iconic still to signify the end of the shoot and the beginning of post-production. Check out the post down below:

The image is from the third act of 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, during which the Ark of the Covenant kills and consumes René Belloq and his army of Nazis. I couldn’t think of a better way for the director to commemorate this achievement. However, I must say that Frank Marshall comes close with his Twitter post. In it, he shared a photo of a sweet production cap and a brief caption. (And now, I really wish I had one of those caps myself.) See for yourself: 

This has to be a particularly auspicious moment for the veteran producer who has been with the franchise since before Steven Spielberg even started rolling on Raiders. Though his and the director’s posts are relatively subdued, it wouldn’t be surprising to think that both are incredibly pleased with the work they’ve done. 

The Indy film, which has yet to have its official title announced, has seen its fair share of ups and downs since it kicked off filming with Harrison Ford back in June 2021. A few weeks into production, Ford suffered a shoulder injury and had to step back from production for several months. Around the same time of the injury, the shoot generated complaints from homeowners while filming occurred in an East London neighborhood. And by July, a crew member had also sustained an injury while filming a chase sequence. Thankfully, though, the drama began to subside by early November.

Amid the shoot, fans had a number of questions about the upcoming action/adventure flick. Not much was revealed in the way of heavy spoilers, though a few small details did leak. For example, it would appear that the movie will utilize some familiar villains. And from a filmmaking standpoint, fans also learned that James Mangold and co. were going to some wild lengths to get Harrison Ford’s stunts done.

It’s going to be a while before cinema’s most iconic adventurer is back in action on the big screen, as Disney delayed the film to 2023 amid a scheduling overhaul. The wait is going to be tough but, considering James Mangold and Frank Marshall’s track records, I’m confident it’ll be worth it.

Indiana Jones 5 is set to arrive in theaters on June 30, 2023. While you wait for its release, take a look at the new movie releases arriving this year. Also, don’t forget to revisit the past Indy films by checking them out with a Paramount+ subscription.

Of all the upcoming film projects that fans have been waiting years to see, few are as exciting as Indiana Jones 5. It’s a movie that we never thought we’d see, and while the release date has continued to see delays, production on the movie has really been happening. And now comes word that it is nearly done, as producer Frank Marshall says the movie is now in the “home stretch.”

Marshall posted a picture of a sign at Pinewood Studios to Twitter, where the movie is currently filming. The text reads simply “home stretch” with the Indiana Jones hashtag just to make sure that we all know what movie he is talking about. While we don’t know exactly how much time is left in filming based on this, the tweet was posted on Sunday, so we could be looking at the final week of principal photography.

Back on New Year’s Day director James Mangold had said that Indiana Jones 5 had about a month of filming left, and clearly it has taken a bit longer that to get the production done. But with all the issues that the pandemic has caused with all movie productions, as well as unrelated tragedies this movie has dealt with, being only a month behind schedule is almost nothing.

And since Indiana Jones 5 has seen its release date delayed even further since the movie went into production, it’s not like the film is in that much of a rush. The movie was set to open in July of this year, but that was going to be a tall order considering post-production is likely going to take time. The film is now set to open in June of 2023, which should give the production plenty of time for post-production as well as reshoots that will almost certainly be needed as they are a part of most blockbuster productions of this scale.

Of course, that delay also means it will be that much longer before we ever really see anything from the new movie. With a release date next summer we likely won’t see the first trailer for Indiana Jones 5 until the end of this year. And there’s a good chance we won’t even know what the movie is called until we get there. The official title will likely give us a pretty strong hint as to what the movie is about, so Disney won’t want to reveal it until the time is right.

Between the fact that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, wasn’t that warmly received by many fans, despite being one of the highest grossing movies of 2008, and the fact that it’s been over a decade since the last movie, and Harrison Ford isn’t getting any younger, nobody knows quite what to expect from this next Indiana Jones adventure, but the fact that it will be an Indiana Jones adventure will be enough for most fans.   

It’s time to grab your trusty fedoras and whips, Indiana Jones fans. After the upcoming fifth installment in the beloved adventure series languished in development hell for over ten years, the film has finally begun production. But just how far into filming is the new Harrison Ford movie? Director James Mangold was all too happy to give fans a heads-up. 

A fan on Twitter recently asked Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold (The Wolverine, Logan) how much filming was left to complete for the long-awaited sequel. Take a look at his response below: 

Yes, you read that correctly: Indiana Jones 5 has only a month's worth of material to cover before the movie can head into post-production. The filming process began in June 2021 after several years’ worth of delays due to scheduling conflicts, script alterations, and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s not counting the years of stagnancy during Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm and the subsequent Star Wars revival. After Disney released the last film in the latest Star Wars trilogy, the company finally moved on to producing the highly-anticipated Indiana Jones sequel. 

So what can fans expect from Indiana Jones 5? Aside from the return of Harrison Ford and an inevitable reference to the titular hero’s fear of snakes, there’s a lot about the sequel that remains a mystery. Many details regarding the setting, plot, and main characters are being kept under lock and key, with most of the confirmed actors playing undisclosed roles. Characters introduced in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, like Indiana Jones’ son Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) are reportedly not appearing. Karen Allen has also not confirmed the return of Marion Ravenswood, who married Indiana Jones at the end of the fourth movie. 

If Indiana Jones’ new family has been nixed, what exactly will the intrepid adventurer/college professor be up to in Indiana Jones 5? Rumor has it that the film will take place in the late 60’s, sometime shortly before the Apollo 11 moon landing. A while back, James Mangold hinted on Twitter that the movie would take place in 1960’s New York City. Actor Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal, Rogue One) is allegedly playing a Nazi scientist hired by NASA to put a man on the moon, lending even more credence to the ‘space race’ theory. Set photos indicated the re-emergence of the Nazis, so Indiana Jones will presumably be on hand to foil their dastardly plans. Considering that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ended with a flying saucer speeding off to galaxies unknown, it’s not too crazy to imagine Indiana Jones might end up on the moon. 

Indiana Jones 5 (title to be determined) is on tap to hit theaters on June 30, 2023. Harrison Ford will star alongside Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, and Antonio Banderas. 

Indiana Jones 5 is currently in production, and after suffering an injury on set, Indiana Jones himself, Harrison Ford, is reportedly back on set and working. Logan and Ford v Ferrari director James Mangold is tasked with reviving the franchise and balancing its legacy, and will hopefully deliver a grand adventure befitting the status of the Indiana Jones films. Mangold has recently answered a very ‘important’ question about Harrison Ford’s Indy. 

There are a lot of nuances and details about an iconic character like Indiana Jones. His mannerisms and attitude are distinct, but so is his fashion. Indiana Jones has a distinctive look from his iconic fedora to his stylish jackets, and keeping it consistent after all these years is essential. James Mangold answered a critical question about Indiana Jones fashion choices on Twitter. Here is the post on Twitter:

James Mangold responded to an Indiana Jones fan on Twitter who had a simple but very ‘important’ question for the director: whether Indy’s bag strap is over or under his leather jacket. Mangold replies with an emphatic over, so it’s clear the director has a lot of thoughts about this controversial question. Mangold has had a string of great films and has garnered Academy Awards nominations for Logan and Ford v Ferrari, so the Indiana Jones franchise is seemingly in good hands. Mangold will put his mark on where the franchise will go in the future.

Indiana Jones 5 is more than likely Harrison Ford’s last appearance as Indiana Jones. The franchise will look to find a replacement to keep the movies going and create a new sensation for a new audience. Harrison Ford’s replacement may have already been found, but anything is on the table, but there will definitely be another Indy to take his place. 

James Mangold has been very adamant that the title of the 5th Indiana Jones movie will come a lot further down in production, so fans can continue to speculate. The film will be bringing back the old villains of much of the previous Indiana Jones films, so Indy and his allies will indeed be battling against familiar foes once again. After years of setbacks and uncertainty and recently Harrison Ford’s injury, Indiana Jones 5 is back on track and will hopefully be finished without any more problems.

Harrison Ford recently exited Jamie Foxx’s legal movie, but the film found a great replacement. Harrison Ford is 79 years old and still works but is clearly slowing down and picking his projects carefully. Indiana Jones 5 has reportedly had to go to wild lengths for Ford’s stunts. Hopefully, Ford stays safe during filming, and we get to see Indiana Jones 5 soon.

It’s been over a decade since audiences last saw Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones embark on a big-screen adventure. Thankfully, the storied franchise is filming its final installment under the watchful eye of Logan and Ford v. Ferrari director James Mangold. It’s still early days on the production, but fans are already eager to get their first glimpse at the movie via a trailer. While it’s currently unclear as to when a trailer might actually arrive, Mangold has now set the record straight on when we should not expect to see the first look at Indiana Jones 5.

An Indiana Jones fan recently took to Twitter to inquire about when they might be able to see the first official trailer for the movie. The user was specifically curious as to whether the trailer could be released by this coming Friday to coincide with the release of Disney’s Jungle Cruise. This led another fan to ask how such a thing would be possible, which is when James Mangold chimed in:

Needless to say, fans hoping to see an Indiana Jones 5 trailer by the end of this week are in for a disappointment. Admittedly, it would be nice to finally get some footage from the upcoming movie but, speaking honestly, an official trailer wouldn’t be feasible at this point.

As previously mentioned, James Mangold’s movie is still relatively early into its shoot, and there’s still plenty of work to be done. Full-blown trailers (or even teaser trailers for that matter) are typically released after a movie has finished principal photography. This gives the directors and producers an ample amount of footage to choose from when the trailer is being cut, and it also allows more time for the visual effects to be implemented into the scenes.

There are, however, rare situations in which a studio can produce a reel that includes rough footage from a film. For instance, years ago, Marvel Studios showed off some early material from the original Guardians of the Galaxy movie at 2013’s San Diego Comic-Con.

Indiana Jones began shooting back in June, with production taking place in parts of the UK. Unfortunately, it was later reported that Harrison Ford experienced a shoulder injury on the set. Production still seems to be moving forward but, with Ford’s injury, the shoot will likely take a bit longer than expected.

Even though it’ll probably be a while before we get a look at Indiana Jones’ final cinematic outing, it should be well worth the wait. James Mangold is a skilled director, and he’s assembled a strong cast (Mads Mikkelsen, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Antonio Banderas, to name a few) that should shine alongside Harrison Ford. And while you’re waiting, try not to put too much into predicting when the trailer might actually drop. As Dr. Jones once said, “We do not follow maps to buried treasure, and X never, ever marks the spot.”

Indiana Jones 5 is scheduled to open in theaters on July 29, 2022.

Indiana Jones 5 is currently dealing with a production setback due to an injury sustained by star Harrison Ford, but following years of delays, the new movie is finally happening. We will finally get the long awaited new adventure from Indiana Jones. And while this has many fans excited it has also generated its share of backlash, and director James Mangold has engaged with some of those who have been critical of the film sight unseen.

About a month ago, James Mangold took to Twitter to respond to somebody who listed a number of reasons why they believed Indiana Jones 5 was destined to be a bad movie. Mangold took issue with each "reason" in turn, and in doing so, brought a lot of attention to the entire interaction. Mangold's response included a comment that the original post was being made from a basement, and while the director is apologizing for the way in which he made his statement, he's also saying that his comments were not made simply because the film was being criticized. According to Mangold...

It's one thing for somebody to be critical of James Mangold as a director or one of his films, he's likely very used to that. But in calling the post that started all this something from "click baiters" it's clear that his frustration was from the fact that he believes the post was only made in order to get a response, not to convey any actual information.

James Mangold pointed out at the time that some of the information, like the fact that the Indiana Jones 5 script was written by Jonathan Kasdan, was just plain wrong. Kasdan had taken a shot at the script, as many others did before and after him, but the final script was written from scratch by James Mangold with Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. While other "points," like suggesting that Harrison Ford's age was somehow a reason the movie would be bad, was purely ageist. On top of all that, nobody has actually seen the movie that's being made, it isn't even done filming yet, so nobody has any idea whether it will be any good or not.

Maybe Indiana Jones 5 will turn out to be great, maybe it won't, but it has an accomplished director, a solid screenwriting team, and an incredible cast. That doesn't always lead to a great movie, but it probably earns them all the benefit of the doubt. There's nothing wrong with withholding judgement until we actually see the finished product.

Indiana Jones 5 is officially in production and, despite reports confirming it earlier this month, the situation didn’t truly become real for fans until the first set photos began to leak. Aside from a few recent complaints, production had been going smoothly, but we’ve now learned of an incident involving legendary actor Harrison Ford. The actor was reportedly injured on the set and, now, Disney has released a statement regarding the situation.

Harrison Ford reportedly injured his shoulder while rehearsing a fight scene for Indiana Jones 5. According to Deadline, the extent of the injury is unclear at this point in time. In Disney’s statement to the trade, the studio clarified how production will progress for James Mangold’s highly anticipated sequel:

Although it’s good to hear that production is still going, many are likely to be concerned about the well-being of Harrison Ford. Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time the actor has suffered an injury on set within the past several years. While filming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Ford injured his ankle, thanks to a malfunctioning hydraulic door on the Millennium Falcon. Thankfully, the star was able to get back on his feet relatively soon.

Keep in mind, though, that while Harrison Ford is 78, but he appears to take good care of himself and continues to live his life vigorously. I don’t know about any of you but, even now, I wouldn’t want to take Ford on in a fist fight. Still, it appears that precautions have been taken to ensure that his stunt work isn’t too strenuous on the set of Indiana Jones 5.

When it comes to the plot, not much is known about Indiana Jones 5 at this point. Some are even still questioning the film’s actual time period. Set photos have revealed that the film will bring back some familiar villains this time around, which honestly makes things even more confusing.

If anything, what we can focus on now is wishing the best for Harrison Ford as he begins the recovery process. With this being the final installment in the Indiana Jones series, it’s only fitting that he gets to finish out the franchise on his own terms. We’ll keep you updated on the situation as more news arrives.

So it would seem that James Mangold and his crew will push on with filming and will shoot around Harrison Ford for the time being. And as expected, the movie’s filming schedule will have to be altered to accommodate the situation.

Indiana Jones 5 is set to open in theaters on July 29, 2022.