Exclusive: Indiana Jones Director Extracts Unseen Star Wars Secrets from Harrison Ford on the Set of Their Final Film

Shortly before his potential departure from the studio, James Mangold, the director of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, disclosed that he interrogated Harrison Ford about Star Wars secrets during their collaboration on a previous project. Mangold, who served as a producer on the 2020 adaptation of The Call of the Wild, developed a relationship with Ford during that time, leading to Ford recommending Mangold to Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy at Lucasfilm to helm the final Indiana Jones adventure. Screen Rant exclusively interviewed Mangold about his experience working with Ford on The Call of the Wild, where he confirmed their discussions about the future of the Indiana Jones franchise and probed Ford for insights into Star Wars. Dive into Mangold's revelations below.

Dial of Destiny Marks The Start Of A New Lucasfilm Era

Performing night shoots in the heart of Santa Clarita Valley, while waiting for the completion of lighting setups, makes it impossible to resist the urge to engage Harrison Ford in an interview filled with intriguing Star Wars and Indy queries. At approximately 2 a.m., he would delve into captivating tales about their future plans and ongoing projects. Little did I anticipate that fate would choose me to be a part of it all.

According to Ford, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will mark the end of his iconic portrayal of the adventurous character after more than four decades in the spotlight. There were previous speculations about a Disney+ prequel series featuring Indiana Jones and a spinoff centering around Helena, Indy's goddaughter played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge who will be introduced in the upcoming movie. However, director Mangold has dismissed the spinoff rumors, and it seems that the prequel series was ultimately canceled by Lucasfilm. This decision was made in order for Lucasfilm to prioritize their Star Wars TV shows and to give the Ford-led franchise a fitting conclusion.

With one franchise nearing its conclusion and another venturing into uncharted territory, Lucasfilm appears to be embarking on a new era following the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. While the Star Wars franchise has predominantly focused on the original trilogy era with series like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, there are four upcoming films in development that aim to expand the series beyond the Skywalker Saga. The first of these films, set to be released in late 2025, will see Daisy Ridley reprise her role as Rey in an untitled movie that takes place 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker.

In addition, director James Mangold is set to create a Star Wars film set during the High Republic era, serving as a prequel to the mainline movies and shows. Other projects in the works include a Mandalorian movie that will wrap up the series, a film helmed by Taika Waititi, a movie directed by Shawn Levy, and Rian Johnson's long-awaited trilogy. With the introduction of new storytellers and characters in a galaxy far, far away and the conclusion of the iconic Indiana Jones franchise with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Lucasfilm is venturing into fresh and unexplored territory.