James Mangold says Logan and Indiana Jones 5 comparisons are fair – but the movies will feel very different

James Mangold understands the comparisons between his movie Logan and the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Both films feature swan songs for legacy characters Wolverine and Indy, but the director says their tones will be poles apart.

"I'm always interested in this idea of a hero at sunset," Mangold told Entertainment Weekly. "What does the hero do when the world no longer has a place for him? I find it really interesting to try to look at classical heroes through the prism of our jaundiced contemporary attitudes."

Despite these similarities, Mangold was quick to point out that Harrison Ford’s last time playing the archaeology professor will be very different from Logan. He says the X-Men movie was a "very purposefully and intentionally grim adventure, very dramatic, and very serious." 

In contrast, he said of The Dial of Destiny: "I think that what we're trying to do is balance both an accurate and realistic appraisal of where this character would be at this time in his life, and do that honestly, and at the same time, try and carry forward what the very title of our movie promises, which is a romp and a wonderful adventure with action and chivalry and escapes by the skin of your nose and ingenious solutions to diabolical problems.”

The first official trailer for the movie was recently released as we got a glimpse at some of the new cast members joining, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena. The new footage also contained the first look at a de-aged Indiana Jones, which left the internet stunned.

Indiana Jones 5 is released on June 30, 2023. For the latest on that and all of the other upcoming movies, check our round-up of 2023 release dates.