Warning: Spoilers ahead for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny!
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny reveals a shocking fate for Indy’s son Mutt Williams after Kingdom of the Crystal Skull set him up to take over the franchise. Henry Jones III, better known by his nickname “Mutt,” is the long-lost son of Indiana Jones, played by Shia LaBeouf in 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Throughout their adventure to find the ancient home of the crystal skulls, Indy and Mutt gradually became endeared to one another and Indy came to embrace his estranged son. The movie even ended with Mutt picking up Indy’s fedora, suggesting a big future for him in the franchise.
The way Kingdom of the Crystal Skull set up Mutt’s future made the revelation that Shia LaBeouf is not in Indiana Jones 5 all the more surprising. While there were some real-world reasons to explain his absence, the decision to leave him out of the sequel meant it was up to The Dial of Destiny‘s story to provide an in-universe explanation. Surprisingly, Mutt becomes a major presence in the movie despite never actually appearing on-screen. This comes through a surprising revelation about what happened to Mutt Williams and its poignant ties to the historical context of the Indiana Jones franchise.
What Happened To Indiana Jones Between Crystal Skull And The Dial Of Destiny
12 years of Harrison Ford’s character’s life happened off-screen. Here’s what happened to Indiana Jones between Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny.
Indiana Jones 5 Killed Off Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt Williams
Mutt Williams is revealed to have died off-screen during one of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s most touching scenes. When Indy’s new travel companion, Helena Shaw, asks him what he would do if he could travel back in time, he tells her that he would prevent his son from enlisting in the armed forces. Indy explains that Mutt enlisted to fight in the Vietnam War out of spite and ended up being killed in action. This is used to explain why he is not featured throughout the movie and eliminates the chances of seeing Mutt return in any potential future installments.
While Mutt doesn’t appear on-screen in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, he’s an undeniably huge presence in the story. When the movie begins, Indy is stuck in a rut, going through a rough divorce, yelling at his neighbors, and retiring from both academia and adventuring. That all stems from Mutt’s untimely death. Mutt’s passing also ties into the historical context of the movie. When Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny takes place in 1969, many young American men like Mutt were being shipped off to fight in a controversial war.
Mutt William’s Death Led To Indiana Jones & Marion’s Divorce
Prior to Marion Ravenwood and Indiana Jones’ reunion in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s ending, the movie reveals that Mutt’s death led to the two getting a divorce. They were last seen getting married at the end of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, so their marriage not continuing by the time the sequel took place was a major question. After not addressing what happened between them and only confirming that they were separated, Indy confirmed how Mutt’s death played a part later on. He details the grief they felt and how that created a divide between them so great they decided the best course of action was divorce.
Why Shia LaBeouf Didn’t Return For Indiana Jones 5
Mutt was never supposed to play a part in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, but LaBeouf likely wouldn’t have returned anyway. In an interview with Variety, LaBeouf said that he “[doesn’t] like” Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. After the negative response to the film and his performance as Mutt, LaBeouf decided “life’s too short for this s***.” At the time of the interview, eight years after he played Mutt, LaBeouf said, “I’m still earning my way back [from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’s critical reception].” Since Mutt Williams became the defining failure of LaBeouf’s career, the actor wasn’t exactly eager to reprise the role.
There’s also the issue of LaBeouf’s legal troubles and controversies. The actor has been sued by his ex-girlfriend Tahliah Debrett Barnett (known publicly by her stage name, FKA Twigs) for sexual battery, assault, and emotional distress (via The New York Times). Since these allegations emerged, studios have been distancing themselves from LaBeouf. Netflix removed LaBeouf from the awards campaign for their acclaimed drama Pieces of a Woman (via IndieWire). He was also replaced by Harry Styles as the star of Olivia Wilde’s dystopian thriller Don’t Worry Darling under unexplained circumstances (via Variety).
Director James Mangold has insisted that the decision not to include LaBeouf in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was “separate from all past studio political intrigue” (via MovieWeb). Mangold “didn’t think his whole thing worked that well in the previous film,” so he wasn’t interested in bringing back that dynamic in the fifth Indiana Jones movie. But since Mutt became such an important part of Indy’s life in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Mangold knew he needed to explain the character’s absence and chose to kill him off.
How Helena Shaw Replaces Mutt Williams In Indiana Jones
Although Mutt doesn’t appear in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Phoebe Waller-Bridge appears as a similar sidekick, Helena Shaw. Indy’s dynamic with Helena maintains the father figure role he developed with Mutt in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. As Indy’s goddaughter, Helena has looked up to Indy as a role model since her childhood. Indy embarks on one last adventure so he can be the hero that Helena remembers him as. The intergenerational bickering between Indy and Helena in Dial of Destiny is reminiscent of the banter he traded with Mutt in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
If the producers had wanted to bring back LaBeouf as Mutt for the sidekick role in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the script wouldn’t need to be changed much. Helena’s supporting role as the younger, less scrupulous adventurer that Indy takes under his wing could’ve easily been filled by Mutt following in his father’s globetrotting footsteps. But the movie might have suffered, because Harrison Ford’s on-screen chemistry with Waller-Bridge is arguably stronger than his chemistry with LaBeouf, and Waller-Bridge’s perfectly timed quips are part of what makes Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny so much fun.
Sources: IndieWire, Variety, MovieWeb, The New York Times
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
- Release Date:
- 2023-06-30
- Director:
- James Mangold
- Cast:
- Boyd Holbrook, Thomas Kretschmann, Mads Mikkelsen, Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Shaunette Renée Wilson
- Rating:
- PG-13
- Runtime:
- 2 hours and 2 minutes
- Genres:
- Action, Adventure
- Writers:
- Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp, James Mangold
- Budget:
- 295 million
- Studio(s):
- Lucasfilm
- Distributor(s):
- Disney
- prequel(s):
- Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
- Franchise(s):
- Indiana Jones
