Indy is back, and Harrison Ford brings out the hat and the whip one more time and sets out on an adventure to gift us all the thrills and nostalgia. Indiana Jones is one most beloved characters in film history, and certainly, one of the most popular franchises to come out of the Steven Spielberg and George Lucas era. Inspired by their love of serialized adventures on TV and pulp magazines, Lucas sold the idea of the character to Spielberg as a better American replacement for James Bond, and Spielberg went on to deliver one of the most defining films of the 80s with Raiders of the Lost Ark, and then the subsequent trilogy. Despite being generally beloved, some of those bridges were burnt when Spielberg tried to bring back Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and the film opened to mixed reception. But now, with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), the Indiana Jones franchise is looking to go back to its original glory.
With this film, director James Mangold is taking on the directing duties from Steven Spielberg for the first time in the franchise. Mangold is an accomplished filmmaker with a vision to deliver great old-fashioned motion pictures, as evident from his acclaimed ventures Logan and Ford v Ferrari. Indy is joined by a string of new characters in this adventure, along with some returning favorites, all played by exciting names. So here's a list of who's who in the fifth Indiana Jones film.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on July 3.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
PG-13
Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history.
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones
It's not an Indiana Jones movie without Harrison Ford. Initially, when it was announced that Lucasfilm was developing Indiana Jones 5, there were talks of a recast with a potential younger actor, with names like Christ Pratt being thrown in the mix. And owing to Harrison's age and his distaste for franchise fare off late (Ford asked to be killed off in Star Wars: The Force Awakens), it made sense. But thankfully, Ford is not ready to let go of Indiana Jones just yet. He made the character what it is, and watching him play Indy at least one more time is bound to be a most satisfying experience, and one of the biggest reasons to watch this movie.
The last time we saw the archeologist, he was reinstated as a history professor at Marshall College and married Marion Ravenwood. Dial of Destiny picks up with the character's story in 1969, as Indy faces a changing world where he no longer feels he fits in. His personal life lies in shambles and his colleagues are just waiting for him to retire, so when his estranged goddaughter comes back into his life, it's a much-needed chance for him to feel like himself again. The film also has a lot of sequences set in the past, where we see a de-aged Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in his prime.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge As Helena Shaw
Fleabag and Killing Eve creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge plays Indiana Jones' goddaughter, Helena - the daughter of one of Jones' former friends played by Toby Jones. The Emmy-winning actress has previously worked with Lucasfilm on Solo: A Star Wars Story and was reportedly handpicked by studio president Kathleen Kennedy for this project. James Mangold describes Waller-Bridge's character as the catalyst of the film, who brings Indy back to adventure by dragging him into her problems.
While Helena is presented as an adventurer on par with Indy at his best, she also has a rather complicated past. Helena isn't a simple, wide-eyed sidekick and she has her own agenda, which may not always align with what Indy wants.
Ethann Isidore as Teddy Kumar
A sneaky youngster who's basically Helena's Short Round, Teddy is an aspiring pilot and Helena's right hand in all her schemes. He's a brave youngster who ends up tagging along with Helena and Indy on their adventure, providing plenty of aid and wit as needed. Teddy is played by Ethann Isidore, who makes his film debut in this movie. The young actor has previously acted in series like Mortel and Sam.
Mads Mikkelsen as Jürgen Voller
Playing the foil to Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones is the ever-iconic Mads Mikkelsen. The Danish actor has played many tough and celebrated characters over the course of his accomplished career, in films and shows like Another Round, The Hunt, Hannibal, and Casino Royale, and was last seen playing the villain Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: Secrets of Dumbledore. Mikkelsen is playing a former Nazi, who has crossed paths with Indy in the past and is now a NASA scientist. While acclaimed for his efforts towards making the Moon Landing happen, Voller's true goals are far more nefarious, and the only one standing in his way is Indiana Jones.
Boyd Holbrook as Klaber
Klaber is Voller's rather unstable right-hand man in the present timeline, who tries to stop Indy and the gang in the movie. He is dedicated to ensuring Voller's plan can be executed smoothly, no matter the cost. Boyd Holbrook previously played a similarly nefarious role in James Mangold's Logan and has starred in popular Netflix shows like The Sandman as The Corinthian, and as DEA agent Steve Murphy in Narcos.
Antonio Banderas as Renaldo
The renowned Spanish actor Antonio Banderas, known for his performance in films such as Desperado, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and The Mask of Zorro, joins the cast as an old friend of Indy's, helping him on his adventure. His character Renaldo is a Spanish sailor and diver who helps Indy and Helena in their quest. While Banderas' role in the film is quite short, it is always exciting to see the movie star pop up in a movie.
Toby Jones as Basil Shaw
Large sections of Dial of Destiny focus on the past and a young Indiana Jones during World War 2. In this timeline, we are introduced to Indiana Jones' friend and Helena's father, Basil Shaw, played by the delightful Toby Jones. His character is an archeologist like Indy, though far less suited to action, and the two of them clashed with the Nazis during the final days of the war.
Toby Jones is well known for playing an extensive list of engaging characters over his lengthy career in films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Pale Blue Eye, and Empire of Light.
John Rhys-Davies as Sallah Mohammed Faisel el-Kahir
John Rhys-Davies returns as Sallah in the new movie. The character was an important part of the original trilogy, as the Egyptian excavator who is a close friend to Indy and aids him in finding the ark. Later, he would also help track the Holy Grail in The Last Crusade. John Rhy-Davies is also famous for playing the dwarf Gimli in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and fans are excited about his return to the Indiana Jones franchise.
Shaunette Renée Wilson as Mason
Best known for her role as Dr. Mina Okafor in the four seasons of The Resident, Shaunette RenéeWilson plays Mason, a US government agent caught up between Voller and Indy's conflict. Due to Voller's association with NASA, Mason is originally attached to him as his government liaison. Things take a turn however when she realizes just how deadly Voller and his men really are.
Thomas Kretschmann as Colonel Weber
German actor Thomas Kretschman, known for playing many notable characters in European and American films like The Pianist, King Kong, Downfall, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, plays Colonel Weber, a Nazi working with Mads Mikkelsen's Voller in the World War 2 timeline. While he doesn't play a part in the present-day proceedings, he does present a menacing villain for Indy to face in the past.
Apart from these actors, the movie also stars Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, as well as Olivier Richters as Voller's henchman Hauke and Mark Killeen as Pontimus, a soldier from the past (things get weird). Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny arrived in theaters on June 30, 2023. Here's Collider's Perri Nemiroff interviewing Mads Mikkelsen, Boyd Holbrook, and Shaunette Renée Wilson during a press junket for the film:
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