Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: The first reactions to James Mangold’s sequel emerge from Cannes

The 2023 Cannes Film Festival is going full steam ahead with the world premiere screening of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fifth film in the iconic archeologist’s action-packed franchise. The film features Harrison Ford’s final performance as the beloved character, with James Mangold taking directorial duties. In addition to the first-ever screening of Dial of Destiny, Ford will be honored with the Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival.

Shortly after the credits rolled on Ford’s final adventure as Dr. Jones rolled, screening attendees flocked to social media to share their thoughts with eager fans. We’ve gathered several reactions from the crowd below while being careful not to expose any spoilers for the highly anticipated film. We’ll update this as more roll in, but keep in mind that the reviews might include more information than you may want.

Steven Spielberg, who helmed all four of Indy’s previous escapades, got a sneak peek at the film before Cannes, saying he loved what Mangold created with the beloved legacy of Dr. Jones. “I just had that experience two nights ago,” Spielberg said. “Bob Iger had a screening for a lot of the Disney executives, and I came to the screening along with the director James Mangold. Everybody loved the movie. It’s really, really a good ‘Indiana Jones’ film. I’m really proud of what Jim has done with it.” Spielberg added, “When the lights came up I just turned to the group and said, ‘Damn! I thought I was the only one who knew how to make one of these.”

The film stars Harrison Ford as the legendary hero archaeologist, as well as 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), Olivier Richters (Black Widow), Ethann Isidore (Mortel), and John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark). James Mangold directed and co-wrote the script alongside Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth.

What do you think of the first reactions to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny? Are you excited about Ford’s swansong as the legendary explorer? I’ve been binging the Indiana Jones movies for the past few days in anticipation of the sequel, and the positive vibes coming from Cannes have me jazzed! Feel free to let us know your feelings about the movie in the comments below.