Thu. Mar 28th, 2024


Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Mutt Williams

Mutt Williams, the motorcycle-riding, greaser son of Indiana Jones, was introduced in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The audience’s reaction to the character wasn’t overly kind, but it was clear the movie was setting Mutt up to be a major part of the franchise. Flash forward fifteen years, and Mutt Williams is nowhere to be found in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Although it’s been confirmed that Mutt Williams won’t be making an appearance in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, director James Mangold has promised that audiences will “find out what happened” to the character. Something about going back to his home planet? Mangold wouldn’t say anything more, but there must be some fans of the character who are anxious to find out what happened to ol’ Mutt.

As we’ve seen from the trailer, James Mangold said that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will kick off in 1944 with a “blast of classic Indy action, me doing my very best version of Steven [Spielberg]. and Harrison doing his best version of being under 40.” From there, the story jumps forward to 1969, where most of the story takes place. “I mean, 1969 is the beginning of now, really, in terms of technology and the space race,” says Mangold. “So, you have Cold Wars, nuclear power, intrigue, the lack of clear good guys and bad guys. In the same way, you have to be really considerate about how you try and transpose a fairly simplistic kind of black-hat, white-hat sensibility into a period that is more complicated. We try to exploit that by jumping forward into 1969 to a hero who is used to a black and white world, [but finds himself] in a world that has gone gray.

Plot details for the fifth Indiana Jones film emerged last month when it was revealed that it would take place in 1969 against the backdrop of the space race and the moon-landing program. Co-writer Jez Butterworth teased that the moon-landing program was “run by a bunch of ex-Nazis” but that “how ‘ex’ they are is the question. And it gets up Indy’s nose…

In addition to Harrison Ford as the legendary hero archaeologist, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny also stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag), Mads Mikkelsen (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore), Toby Jones (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), Boyd Holbrook (Logan), Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory), Shaunette Renne Wilson (Black Panther), Thomas Kretschmann (Das Boot), Oliver Richters (Black Widow), Ethann Isidore (Mortel), and John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark). James Mangold directed and also co-wrote the script alongside Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth. Indiana Jones will be back in theaters on June 30, 2023.

Were you hoping we’d see Mutt Williams in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny?

By Dave Jenks

Dave Jenks is an American novelist and Veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Between those careers, he’s worked as a deckhand, commercial fisherman, divemaster, taxi driver, construction manager, and over the road truck driver, among many other things. He now lives on a sea island, in the South Carolina Lowcountry, with his wife and youngest daughter. They also have three grown children, five grand children, three dogs and a whole flock of parakeets. Stinnett grew up in Melbourne, Florida and has also lived in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico. His next dream is to one day visit and dive Cuba.