Indiana Jones 5 Will Open With A Nostalgic, Action-Packed 25-Minute Flashback Scene
Over a decade since he last appeared on the big screen, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is on his way back to the movies. Following up "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," which sees Indy put on his legendary fedora one last time in an adventure like no other. While details about the plot are scarce at the time of this writing, something pretty major about the film has come to light. According to director James Mangold, it opens with a roughly 25-minute flashback sequence.
Speaking with Total Film, Mangold shared that the opening of "Dial of Destiny" is action-packed and nostalgia-fueled, giving audiences the "Indiana Jones" experience they haven't felt in years. Although, the director does clarify that it would be unwise to get comfortable with that tone and pace moving forward. "The goal was to give the audience a full-bodied taste of what they missed so much. Because then when the movie lands in 1969, they're going to have to make an adjustment to what it is now, which is different from what it was," he explained.
As it turns out, filming the flashback scene was pretty easy, too, thanks to Ford's performance abilities and the groundbreaking technology at Mangold's disposal.
The flashback was a treat for Mangold to film
Of course, news of a flashback in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" isn't anything too surprising. After all, the sequel's very first trailer contains some pretty double-take-worthy shots of Indy appearing in his late 30s or early 40s — much younger than Harrison Ford is in 2023. Naturally, making this happen required the use of trailblazing VFX de-aging technology, which brought Ford closer to his "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" self. As James Mangold explained, Ford and the tech made filming the flashback scene a treat.
"I just shot him, and he just pretended that he was 35," he recalled to Total Film, describing Ford as "incredibly gifted and agile" on set. The actor was able to fit into his old jacket, and with some performance capture dots painted on his face, the stage was set for the VFX team to work their digital wizardry in post. It also helped that Lucasfilm's archives had reels upon reels of Ford footage from back in the day to pull from, making the process that much quicker. Suffice to say, the de-aging work done is truly remarkable.
"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" premieres on June 30, 2023.