One character won't be back in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - Indiana Jones' (Harrison Ford) son himself, Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf). However, the film will explain what happened to the character.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is Ford's final appearance as the character. He previously played the character in 2008's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Unfortunately, that film was contentious, with many saying that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull contains nonsensical scenes. Mutt Williams was one of the central points of contention for the film, but he didn't have the swagger or cool factor associated with Indiana Jones, and many found him grating and whiny. The consensus is that he's not an adequate successor to Indiana Jones' legendary mantle.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, director James Mangold teased Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Mangold refused to reveal some key information about the film because he didn't want to say what the titular 'Dial of Destiny' was. "I can't, because I don't want to give the movie away. But is there a relic in this movie that possesses a kind of power, or may possess a kind of power? And is it based on history and scientific speculation? Yes."
Mangold said Mutt wouldn't be in the film but that audiences would "find out what happened" to him. He refused to elaborate further. Though Mutt isn't one of the best characters in the Indiana Jones franchise, his presence should be addressed. After all, he is Indiana Jones' son, and given that this will be the final bow for the character, fans deserve to know what happened to the character's family to wrap things up neatly.
Mutt being a hated character probably isn't the only consideration involved in his estrangement from the franchise. LaBeouf has been a controversial figure as of late, and this might be one motivation for keeping him out of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
LaBeouf's latest involvement in the Don't Worry Darling drama is only the tip of the iceberg, and the optics of bringing him back could have cast a pall on the Indiana Jones franchise. The focus should definitely be on Ford, and there appears to be a lot of pressure on Mangold to get this film right, so it's not a shock that he wouldn't want to bring back one of the weaker elements of previous films.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is scheduled the be released in theaters on June 30, 2023.
Source: Entertainment Weekly