The upcoming fifth installment of the Indiana Jones movie series has been peppered with controversy as to why Shia Labeouf’s character, Mutt Williams, will not return. In 2008, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull revealed that Williams is the son of Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford).
But in the final listing of the cast for The Dial of Destiny, Shia Labeouf’s role is nowhere to be found. This sparked a rumor that might affect the future of the characters as well as the story because why won’t Indiana Jones’ son be present for his last hurrah?
Harrison Ford Is Unhappy With Shia LaBeouf’s Comment About Indiana Jones
The controversy surrounding Shia LaBeouf’s departure from the production lies in a remark he made in an interview for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He spoke with Los Angeles Times in 2010 and noted:
“I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished. If I was going to do it twice, my career was over. So this was fight-or-flight for me. The actor’s job is to make it come alive and make it work, and I couldn’t do it.”
LaBeouf went on and revealed that he was not the only one who felt the movie was going nowhere. He told the interviewer that even Harrison Ford “wasn’t happy with it either.” The Star Wars actor reacted to LaBeouf badmouthing of the franchise and called him a “f**king idiot.” Ford said in an interview with Today:
“I think I told him he was a f**king idiot. As an actor, I think it’s my obligation to support the film without making a complete ass of myself. Shia is ambitious, attentive, and talented–and he’s learning how to deal with a situation which is very unique and difficult.”
Clearly, LaBeouf is too young to know how the industry works. Ford believes that as an actor, he should not criticize the movie he is playing a role in because it will affect fans’ reception and appreciation. The 80-year-old actor was not pleased with his co-star’s public rant and this might be the reason why the studio eliminated LaBeouf from the cast.
What To Expect In The Indiana Jones Franchise
It seems clear that Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf have now parted ways in the fifth movie, but director James Mangold noted that The Dial of Destiny will give Mutt Williams his reason for absence, and this will keep the story intact and flowing.
Ford spoke at the D23 panel and revealed that this is the last time he will appear as Indiana Jones. The long delay of the fifth installment is blamed on the pandemic and Ford’s shoulder injury. Fans are now excited to see what the upcoming movie has in store for them as Disney is also planning a spin-off series based on the franchise.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will arrive in theaters on June 30, 2023.
Source: Los Angeles Times, Today
