We haven’t worked our way through the 2022 movie calendar quite yet, but everyone is already buzzing with excitement about all the exciting movies that will be arriving at AMC Theatres nationwide during the Summer 2023 blockbuster season. And at the top of that list is the long-awaited INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, which will see the return of Harrison Ford’s iconic archaeologist and adventurer after a 15-year absence.
As we prepare to be taken off on another adventure with one of cinema's most beloved characters, now seems like a perfect time to go over everything we know about the project so far. With information on the release date, cast, John Williams' score, and that explosive first trailer, this guide will hopefully make you even more excited for the long-in-the-works project and continuation of the INDIANA JONES story. Grab your wide-brimmed fedora, your trusty whip, and your wits because we’re going on an adventure.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Opens June 2023
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY will land in theatres and kick off the Fourth of July weekend in style on Friday, June 30, 2023, a little less than four years after the latest chapter in the adventure saga was originally supposed to premiere on the big screen. When first announced, the untitled INDIANA JONES movie was slated to open on July 19, 2019, but was later postponed to July 10, 2020, and then again to July 9, 2021. The release continued to be pushed back in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic before landing on its current, and hopefully final release date.
Unlike the previous four installments in the INDIANA JONES franchise, the upcoming movie will be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, who acquired the distribution rights for the property from Paramount Pictures back in 2013. Disney had previously acquired the intellectual property as part of the 2012 purchase of Lucasfilm.
Harrison Ford Is Back As The Iconic Adventurer
Having an INDIANA JONES movie without Harrison Ford donning the iconic hat and bomber jacket would be sacrilege, but luckily we don’t have to live in that reality because the man himself is back in the fold for the upcoming fifth chapter in the epic saga.
And even though Ford’s involvement with INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY has been known for quite some time, fans in attendance at Star Wars Celebration were on their feet when the man, the myth, the legend took to the stage to talk about the upcoming movie. He didn’t provide much in terms of new information, but Ford did express his excitement for the upcoming picture before saying “I’ll be seeing you around the campus.”
Around the same time, the official INDIANA JONES Twitter account posted a first look image that showed the silhouette of the famed adventurer walking through a darkened cave with a flashlight in hand and what appears to be his whip on his side.
Joining Ford on the INDIANA JONES 5 cast will be Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Jones’ goddaughter Helena, Mads Mikkelsen as the villainous Voller, Boyd Holbrook, Thomas Kretschmann, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Toby Jones, Oliver Richters, and Antonio Banderas.
James Mangold Directs Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
From its inception with the release of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in 1981, the INDIANA JONES franchise has long been directed by Steven Spielberg, but the prolific and beloved filmmaker has handed off his duties to another director for the upcoming fifth installment.
Back in May 2020, it was revealed that James Mangold, the director of movies like WALK THE LINE, LOGAN, FORD V FERRARI, and GIRL, INTERRUPTED, would be taking over directing duties, bringing with him decades of experience with films from just about every genre imaginable. Mangold also worked on the film’s script alongside co-writers Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth, who have previously worked on films like EDGE OF TOMORROW, SPECTRE, and FORD V FERRARI.
And even though Spielberg is not sitting in the director’s chair this time around, the legendary filmmaker is producing INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY.
John Williams’ Score
Over the past few decades, John Williams has composed amazing scores for everything from STAR WARS to the HARRY POTTER movies and JURASSIC PARK to INDIANA JONES, and countless other movies along the way. More times than not, these epic compositions elevate not only the scenes in which they are featured — turning them into legendary cinematic moments like the first time “The Raiders March” plays — but also the movies as a whole, turning a great film into one that could be considered one of the best of all time. And that will continue as Williams is composing the INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY score.
Fans at the Star Wars Celebration were in for a big surprise during the May 2022 event when Williams and a full orchestra took to the stage and played a sampling of his INDIANA JONES staples before Harrison Ford appeared to talk about the movie. During his brief remarks, Ford revealed that Williams has almost completed the next INDIANA JONES song, but didn’t share any details about the composition itself. But if the award-winning composer’s track record is any indication, expect it to be as great as everything else he’s written throughout his career.
The Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Trailer
Christmas came early for INDIANA JONES fans in December 2022 when Lucasfilm released the first trailer for the upcoming adventure film. The nearly two-minute trailer, which also revealed INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY as the official title, featured all the hallmarks of the franchise, including complex and extravagant chase sequences, Harrison Ford punching Nazis, the whip, the fedora, the banter, and more.
Despite this, the trailer didn’t give too much away about the movie, and a great deal of mystery remains. If the brief trailer is any indication of the finished product, then longtime fans of the series and newcomers alike will be in good spirits when INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY opens in late June 2023.
Expect to hear a lot more about INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY — including information on its story, how some of those big name cast additions fit in, and more— in the months to come as we all anxiously await the arrival of the action-adventure spectacle that is certainly one of the most exciting and thrilling theatrical releases on the 2023 release schedule. And considering the steep competition coming to AMC Theatres nationwide next summer, this is saying a lot.
