Why Indiana Jones 5 Villains Are Back For The Third Time In Dial Of Destiny

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director James Mangold recently explained why Nazis are back for a third time as villains within the action-adventure franchise. Originally conceived by George Lucas, Indiana Jones was introduced in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark and quickly took the world by storm. Spawning three sequels, Harrison Ford is set to don his leather jacket, fedora, and whip one last time for his fifth and final film as the thrill-seeking archeologist.

IGN caught up with Mangold at Star Wars Celebration 2023, where he discussed why Nazis have once again returned as villains in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The director explained that Nazis are intrinsic to the fabric of the Indiana Jones franchise as well as being completely “relevant” in today’s society. Read what Mangold said below:

“They’re as much a part of the character of Indiana Jones as every other element we’re familiar with. But also I think there are a million ways it’s just relevant even to our world today, whether they’re called one thing or another, these things don’t die away. These groups have kind of dreams of order and of the old days and are trying to return to them. So I felt like it was both familiar and relevant.”

Why Bringing Back Nazis Is A Good Choice For Indiana Jones 5

Raiders of the Lost Ark sees Jones take on the Nazis as they search for the long-lost Ark of the Covenant. Set in 1936, the film used the real-world Nazi’s desire to accumulate historical artifacts as a setting for the rousing action-adventure romp. Although Lucas and original franchise director Steven Spielberg chose to forgo the classic villains for a Thuggee cult in the 1984 follow-up Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, they brought the 20th Century villains back in the lauded Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which sees the Nazis in cahoots with an American businessman searching for the Holy Grail.

Using Nazis in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny would bring the franchise full circle, providing the film series with a thematic bookend. As Mangold briefly touched upon in his comments to IGN, using the fascist group as the movie’s villain remains relevant today as many similar radical groups have become empowered within the last several years. With the recent political climate and a rise in antisemitism in parts of the United States, a parallel can be seen as neo-Nazi groups have risen within the nations that previously defeated Adolf Hitler and his totalitarian regime.

Disney recently confirmed that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will be the franchise’s final installment. The film will likely attempt to use nostalgia by touching upon what made the original film so great. As Nazis were a key part of that experience, it is understandable why Mangold and the film’s writers would bring back the historical villains.

Source: IGN