Much of the reason I figure they brought in a bastard child of our favourite archeologist Indiana Jones was to appeal to the younger crowd. Considering the aging Dr Jones, he wouldn’t be believable as an action star. But as an ulterior motive many people speculated that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull would be a “passing of the torch” so that Shia LaBeouf’s character Mutt Williams would carry on the franchise with a new generation of treasure hunter.
Well now that they are considering Indiana Jones 5, Lucas wants to make it clear that is not the case.
It seems that Mutt won’t be the central focus of a fifth film at all, and he might not even return for a cameo in the proposed film. Lucas told MTV Movie Blogs, “Indiana Jones is Indiana Jones. Harrison Ford IS Indiana Jones. If it was Mutt Williams it would be ‘Mutt Williams and the Search for Elvis’ or something.”
Now instantly I wonder if this has anything to do with Shia’s recent public troubles or is this purely as Lucas says. The title says Indiana Jones, so its about Jones.
But to suggest that if they do move forward on this that Mutt won’t even be involved makes me wonder if it was public image thing or did the Indy fans just not like the greaser kid as a treasure hunter.
This wouldn’t be the first time that a blemish on a star’s public image would keep them out of a film.
Did you like Mutt Williams in the film? Was he strong/appealing enough to carry his own film?
if you don’t put shia back in the movie your not going to attract those us who are younger i loved him in this movie i myself truly think this is the best movie he has made and i’ve seen a bunch of his movies he has to pass the torch on to someone why should it be any one else but his son it’s about time Indiana got a family and then you think you can just wipe them both off the screen NOOOO you cant do that Shia was totally hot in this movie so if you want to pass these movies onto the next generation you might want to think about keeping if not Indiana will die within the coming years
I heard that George Lucas and Michael Eisner are going to make a joint Lucasfilm/Disney venture featuring Nicholas Cage and Harrison Ford.
Its called …. National Jones: The Family Feud!
And who will read the questions?
Tom Hanks!
I had no problem with Shia’s acting, or even really Mutt’s character in the movie (by himself).
Just the entire movie (save for a few cool scenes in the beginning) was utter trash. Marion was unnecessary, Mutt’s character was unnecessary, etc.
Really, if they’re going to do another film, they need to take it back and do one set earlier. Not that I’ll be necessarily seeing it, because Lucas and Spielberg failed so miserably on this one.
Which only supports Lucas saying “If it was a Mutt WIlliams movie it would be Mutt Williams and the …”
Spielberg has explicitly said, “there will be no Indiana Jones without Harrison Ford”.
I lone the Indy series like everyone else, 1 then 3 then 2 and 4 way down the list would be my ranking and many others i think but mutt was actually an ok part of the film i thought. Sean Penn was recently talking about how we make historical films based on what we think it looks like from history so mutt dressed up as that “blue oyster room” leather biker ala brando/dean was a bit of a joke but still, the problem here is lucas. I know ford is involved in scripts and spielberg is the man but unless they look at that last film and understand the structural and tonal mistakes it is a useless argument. If indi had a nude jelly wrestle between charlixe theron and joile all refereed by an angry but also naked jessica alba i wouldnt see it i was so burnt by that last film, sure i’d buy the dvd and watch that scene many time but maybe, like a family reunion that has always been a good time and then just loses its spark maybe they should just hang up the hat and do an m knight shamalan (pretending his first two films never existed) did and deny the fourth ever existed…and if they do make a 4th, pay sol whatever he wants he was the man!
George Lucas ass-raped my childhood with the second Star Wars Trilogy, and Indy 4 was him not even giving me a kiss on the way out the door.
Mutt was unnecessary and an annoying distraction except for the motorcycle chase in Connecticut.
If anyone can name another franchise that chose in a late installment to give the aging hero a surprise son/daughter but still went on to further sequels, I’d be glad to hear it. The only possible example I can think of would be Superman Returns, but they’ve yet to mount a sequel to that, and it seem increasingly unlikely to happen, particularly in light of the rumors that Bryan Singer is being pushed out in favor of a reboot.
Giving your hero a son AND marrying him off is franchise suicide, especially for something like Indiana Jones, the previous entries of which were always pretty romantic and lighthearted fare that never dealt in absolutes. The endings of the previous three made it clear that the stories ended happily, but there was nothing to indicate they were ending happily ever after. In fact, I’d argue that all three ended more with the sense that the next adventure was just around the corner.
Yet the ending of Crystal Skull leaves Spielberg and Lucas little wiggle room. It’s obvious that they were preparing to hand over the reigns if not the whip to the Mutt character if he proved a success and having done that, this leaves two options: they continue with Mutt in a primary role in a spinoff franchise… or they continue with Indy in a primary role, in more or less an Indy sequel with Mutt merely supporting him if he’s seen at all.
If it’s the former, you deal with the inevitable fan outrage, as well as the even money chance that Harrison Ford declines to appear.
And if it’s the latter, you’ve tied your hands narratively:
1) With Indy married, a lighthearted romantic subplot won’t be injected to grease the engine of the plot as it did so well in the first three and failed spectacularly to do in the fourth. People may sneer at this, but a fresh romance for Indy is as essential a plot element as a fresh relic for him to chase after and is I think a big reason why Indy 4 felt so stale. Each movie has been a journey of new discoveries and Spielberg and Lucas seemed determined to make this one a story of revisitations: bring back an old flame, recycle the father/son material mined in both Temple and Crusade, and have Indy journey to only two exotic locales, both of which have been done to death in the series (i.e. jungles and deserts).
2) On the issue of Mutt, if he is present in supporting role ala Skull then any storyline between him and Indy will inevitably feel like old news, a been there done that, this-is-going-nowhere slice of why’d they do that?
And on the flip side to my long argument — this movie still made a heap of cash around the world, so who knows if Indy 5 ever happens. I would have said as little as two years ago that we’d never seen a fourth!
Mutt = Flames on Optimus
Mutt is to Indiana Jones and Jar Jar is to Star Wars.
They left hints like bait. If people take the bait and love the direction then BOOM new franchise with a hot young new actor.
Lots of movies have hints towards a sequel and may never have one. Doesn’t mean they can’t try.
They certainly created Mutt as a character to continue the franchise (or at least continue the storyline). Indy has hit hat and whip. Mutt has his knife and his bike. Both are independent do-what-I-want characters. Even while watching the movie, I thought every scene was an indicator that Mutt was going to the new Indy. I’m not saying that I want this to happen nor think that it should… but I feel like Lucas is back-pedaling a bit. If they didn’t want Mutt to stick around (and possibly lead), why did they leave so many clues that that’s the direction they were going in?
I really couldn’t care either way, as I certainly won’t be going to see it. The overuse of CG kill Crystal Skull for me, especially the horribly unrealistic looking gophers, and the excreble Tarzan-lite vine sequence. I can only imagine a fifth film would bring more of Lucas’ CGI abominations. That man gets no more of my money, *ever*.
Mutt not in it because the fans don’t want Mutt Jones & Lucas knows that!
I liked Mutt Willaims fine, but the movie as a whole just didnt feel right. I think they kind of missed the boat. Indy 4 should have been made 15 years ago. I really dont have any interest in seeing another one.
Indy is Indy, does the Mutt character need to return..eh if it fits into the story then cool. But whether he is there or not the story needs to be more Spielberg and less Lucas…. the alien plot was not Indy, the action the idea that Jones fathered a child, that is all within the believeable Indy Possibilities. Don’t get me wrong i really liked the film i did think that Mutt kinda just got in the way as John said in the review. It all comes down to the story/script, if it calls for Mutt cool, if not thats cool too but as Lucas said Indy is Indy.
And in all honesty if the story gets back to the roots of indy then im all for it and ready to buy the ticket now but if not then just let the franchise go and let the story end with Kingdom.
No Mutt ever again. He took away from what would have been an enjoyable romp. I collect all things Indiana Jones but I don’t buy any of it where he’s the only one featured on the product.
I have no more interest in this frnachise. I’ll stick to my box set and leave it at that.
fillon is a great idea, but they’d NEVER do it.
I liked Mutt, and if he were in the next one, that’s fine, and he and Harrison had a good chemistry… but, can his character carry a movie? Ouch, that’s a tough question. The character had a narrow mindedness and a stubborn streak that, well needs to go bye bye if he’s ever to succeed his dad. He’s no Doctor Jones, and would take a good story to turn him into such a character.
I actually liked Shia as Mutt. He is a pretty charismatic guy and brings a sort of everyman-quality to his roles in those big-budget fantastical blockbusters. He also was pretty much the only thing I liked about TRANSFORMERS.
However, can he in the role of Mutt carry a movie? No way.
People don’t want to see Shia LeBeouf when they see an INDY movie, they want to see Harrison Ford as fucking Indiana Jones. That’s it.
But I doubt that another INDY film will happen anyway. After all that shit he (deservedly) got for CRYSTAL SKULL, I don’t think Spielberg is up for that whole thing again. I don’t think Ford can be arsed again either.
Those guys wanted to proof they still had it in them and well, they general consensus seems to be they failed.
Can they please bring in Nathan Fillon! And just continue the series with him and get the series back on track! This whole Mutt thing is just silly.
Listen George, do the James Bond thing and continue the series with a new Jones…namely Nathan Fillon! The series needs new blood and the last movie, though I enjoyed, is in no way as good as the previous three. I think I enjoyed the last because more because of the nostalgia factor than anything else.
But let’s start rebooting this thing and bring in Nathan Fillon!!!
I just think they shouldn’t make another one. I kinda agree with John’s point that Lucas needs to stretch himself a bit and not tinker anymore with things that already worked. That includes the Goonies.
Okay, Shia Lebeouf’s little drinking issues aside, he probably needs to be in the next movie for the sake of the stories’ continuity! Have you guys ever thought about this? I mean, he can’t just not be mentioned. He will be mentioned in some form. I personally liked his performance but Indy’s survival of a nuclear test was very awkward to say the least. His age was really showing, not that age matters. The marriage at the end was worth watching though, it really was. The story had a good ending.
I had no problem with Shia Laboeuf in the one movie. I thought he gave a pretty good performance, and could even carry a spin-off series in the future. Not an immediate “let’s film this right away” future, but he could still revisit the character as an action hero down the road if they ever came up with a unique direction for him. Something for today’s generation at least.
Overall, I don’t think that Indy having a kid and getting married is going to mess anything up for the sequels. It’s not like he’s going to bring his family everywhere he goes, and since the Indy movies are non-linear, part 5 can even take place a few years before.
Atlantis would be a great topic for a sequel, if only for the potential that comes with having Indiana Jones out at sea. If they took a cue from the video games, there’d probably be a scene where Indy fires himself from a torpedo tube to escape an exploding submarine. :)
As comment 13 I guess it’s just redundant now, but I did not like Mutt. Now that is not to say I didn’t like Mutt the greaser character, it is to say I hated the idea of Indy being a deadbeat dad. Mutt could have been a student or something and the whole thing would have been better.
Now it’s too late for that, and I think making a 5th installment without Mutt is the right direction. I agree with fellow commenters with that a family has been established and should be mentioned, but lets make it a solid Indy adventure.
I have had a chance to go back and watch this flick again, and it doesn’t bother me as much as the initial blow. It is a flawed film and has plenty of things to bitch about in it, but all in all I love Indiana Jones.
All I can say is THANK GOD. Mutt was okay as a character, but it’s not Indy without Indy. I think the final church scene was enough to convince me of this news(yoink!). I think the fam should be mentioned, or be in the beginning as in”Bye honey. Bye Jr. I’m going treasure hunting! Be back at the end of the movie.” Someone mentioned Short Round: I was almost heartbroken when Shorty didn’t at least get named in the new one! Shorty could be an excellent character. I’m probabaly one of the few hundred people who liked Indy 4. I think it was the worst in the series, but that’s not saying much, because it’s Indiana Jones! I’m thinking #5 should either be a book adaptation
(http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/results.pperl?title_subtitle_auth_isbn=Indiana+Jones) or my idea:
It takes place during Vietnam; Mutt is sent in to fight; Indy has to go in and save him, but along the way discovers a legend of a certain lost city located either off the coast or underneath Vietnam itself. With the Vietnamese on his tail, and perhaps some renegade Soviet battalions, Indy must save is son & uncover something that could change the fate of humanity itself: The Lost City of Atlantis!
Mutt was easily one of the worst things in Indiana Jones 4 for me. Not for a second did I buy Shia’s performance as this highly unlikeable, wannabe, tough guy. I’m glad he didn’t totally ruin the movie for me. So I would be more than happy if he doesn’t return at all.
If they’re gonna make Indy 5 they can replace Mutt with one of those cgi gophers. That would definitely be an improvement.
indy 4 established a family for indy, so mutt and marion have to at least be mentioned, but neither has to show up.
still i think shia was great in indy 4, at least in the non-swinging through the jungle with monkeys moments.
I don’t have any problem with Mutt not appearing in IJ5. Most of Jone’s sidekicks and love interests only appear in one movie. Temple of Doom featured all new characters and none of them followed Indy in the next adventures, without even a mention of what happened to them. And i’m perfectly fine with that.
As Lucas said, the movies are all about Indy, and H Ford IS Indy. Thats the bottom line and that’s how it should be.
everytime i see that poster i feel tired and worn out.
i think … a slee…ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
rick
hey youre not a lose-r i definetely enjoyed the film but it did not come close to the other ones and the ending of it wasnt “indiana jones” stuff…it didnt feel right…the aliens killed the movie but the rest WASNT BAD.
and didnt you guys say the guy from desperate housewives was going to be the next indy? he doesnt look too bad, but i like the idea of shia being the next indy…..if he is- that movie will definately make him a big time actor..hes in so many movies right now and if hes the new indy then thats definately going to get him up there…
After seeing Indy survive a nuclear explosiion and seeing that abortion of a character Mutt Williams swing the trees like tarzan, I just want this franchise to end. This film cam nowhere close to its predecessors. The sets seemed small and fake, and it just seemed like a parody of itself. They should of called this movie, “Not another Indiana Jones Movie”.
I agree with RICK: they should focus on Indy, but no appearance of his son makes wouldn’t be a good idea IMHO.
On the other hand:
Though liked Mutt’s Style in the last movie, I believe it gets boring in a follow up. So I’d make him change his style / personality to a bit more grown up or so..
I was one of the losers who actually really enjoyed the film, and I could see it either way with or without him if they moved forward, but at this point since he is Indy’s kid, then why not have him move forward with his dad but still keeping it an Indiana Jones focus
I felt he was actually one of the stronger characters in an overall weak film. The beginning scenes with Indy and Mutt at the university were pretty awesome.
Having him carry on the torch is just a stupid idea though, like George said (and I agree with him for once!) Indy is Indy, it would only be a Mutt Williams film if they made it and WHO would go out to see that?
It just seemed like the little chineese kid from Temple of Doom to me. But I stress, that’s just my opinion. I’m happy they’re sticking to the roots with Indy. I can’t sit here and honestly picture a Jones flick without the Jones. Also, maybe next time they’ll hop back into the reality and focus on religion rather than extraterrestial. Yes? No?
No more aliens. Indiana Jones, to me, is an adventurous movie not a sci-fi
keep the aliens in star wars and the religious ancient artifacts with Indiana. I also think this Mutt Williams character is quite enticing, he is like Indiana in alot of ways. If they make a Mutt Williams movie i will see it, but Indiana has to be in it. It just wouldn’t hold up without Harrison Fords Indi charm.