Indiana Jones 5director James Mangold has decisively shut down a rumour that’s been terrorizing some of the more change-averse fans of the franchise. Thanks to a likely not-so-serious fan query, the question of whether Indy himself will find himself replaced in the upcoming sequel has finally been put to rest. But how dire was this issue in the first place?
Given the nature of certain fandoms these days, it’s unfortunately often a foregone conclusion that some of the more vocal members will start rumours that allow them to get angry at things that largely either won’t happen or might even result in a net positive. One such allegation has been circulating regardingPhoebe Waller-Bridge’s character inIndiana Jones 5.Based on her status as the goddaughter of Harrison Ford’s titular overzealous archeologist, some have speculated that she would end up replacing him as the leader of theIndiana Jonesfranchise. But Mangold had some words for that idea.
RELATED:Indiana Jones 5 Could Be Everything The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Wasn’t
Replying on Twitter to a user who appeared to be posting a satirical reply, Mangold nonetheless played things straight and addressed the rumour head-on. “No but you’re wrong,” said one user going by Paulo in a reply to a tweet from Mangold, “BasementDweller46 said that KK personally replaces Indiana Jones with a woman in the movie and test screening audiences HATE IT.” “KK” in this case likely refers to Lucasfilm President andStar Warshead honcho Kathleen Kennedy, who is unfortunately often the target of many bad faith attacks from toxic fans. “Well, Paulo,” Mangold replied, “it’s up to you who you believe — an anonymous troll named “basement dweller” & “doomcock” or the actual director of the film. No one will ever replace Indiana Jones. Not in any script. Not in any cut. Never discussed.”
Little is currently known for sure about Mangold’s upcoming entry into theIndiana Jonesfranchise. But that may change soon if his hint at anupcomingIndiana Jones 5traileris to be believed. Featuring actors like Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen alongside Ford, it’s worthy of hype even without plot details. It also helps that Ford got emotional when revealing footage from the movie, offering a nice vote of confidence from the man who wanted Han Solo dead for decades.
Even so, that hasn’t stopped fans from jumping to conclusions. Just knowing that Waller-Bridge is in the movie was enough for some toxic devotees to quickly begin accusing Lucasfilm and people like Kennedy of “ruining” their beloved franchise in the most heinous way they can imagine: by casting a woman. This appears to be what the user Paolo was satirizing, particularly with his mention of some mysterious figure named “BasementDweller46.”
But even if Mangold may have missed a joke there (intentionally or otherwise), hopefully, his reply will quiet some of the more vicious voices passing judgment on a film nobody has seen yet. Thepotentially crowd-pleasingIndiana Jones 5is still a way off, and the hype cycle is always one of the most exciting aspects of any new movie. So here’s hoping things will stay more optimistic going forward.
Indiana Jones 5is set to premiere in theaters on June 30th, 2023.
MORE:8 Shows To Watch If You Love The Great British Bake Off
