‘Indiana Jones 5’ Pits Indy Against Space (Program) Nazis Led by Mads Mikkelsen
Yes, you read that right. Indiana Jones is fighting his old nemesis with a 1960s twist in the new movie – space Nazis led by Mads Mikkelsen.
The fifth entry into the Indiana Jones story has been under wraps for years. Empire’s January issue has finally been able to confirm the plot of the movie. The timeline moves up several decades to 1969. Indy is a man out of time and has to face uncomfortable truths. This time the Nazis are working within the US government with approval. Indiana Jones 5 co-writer Jez Butterworth explained to Empire:
“The simple fact is that the moon-landing program was run by a bunch of ex-Nazis. How ‘ex’ they are is the question. And it gets up Indy’s nose… It’s not just that the model of what a hero is has completely changed. It’s not just that they’re looking for something where there’s nothing up there – it’s like Reno without the gambling, or whatever his line is. But the people that are behind it are, you know, his sworn enemies.”
Historical Connection
Butterworth isn’t exaggerating when he mentions ex-Nazis running the moon-landing program. Operation Paperclip brought over 1500 German scientists and engineers to the US after WWII ended, and more than a few had been members of the Nazi Party. The largest group worked in aeronautics and rocketry. Kurt Heinrich Debus, a former Schutzstaffel member, became the first director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The connection isn’t some conspiracy theory – it’s history.
Mads Mikkelsen’s villain is inspired by Wernher von Braun (above), a former member of the Nazi Party and Allgemeine SS that created the Saturn V carrier rocket for NASA. According to Mikkelsen:
“He’s a man who would like to correct some of the mistakes of the past. There is something that could make the world a much better place to live in. He would love to get his hands on it. Indiana Jones wants to get his hands on it as well. And so, we have a story.”
And he likes wearing black leather trench coats.
via Lucasfilm
Indiana Jones 5 Cast & Crew
The yet-to-be-titled movie is directed by James Mangold (Logan, Ford v. Ferrari), and Steven Spielberg is the executive producer. Harrison Ford and Mads Mikkelsen lead the cast. It includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Toby Jones, Antonio Banderas, and John Rhys-Davies. The movie is set to hit theaters on June 30, 2023. Rumors say there will be a trailer next month, so we’ll see everyone in action.
