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Director James Mangold recently shut down rumors spread by online trolls that actor Phoebe Waller-Bridge is replacing Harrison Ford in the next installment of the Indiana Jones franchise.
The next film in the lineup, next summer's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, will be the fifth and final one for Harrison Ford, who originated the role in 1984.
Given the news that 80-year-old Ford will not be back for any subsequent volumes in the series, trolls and angry fans began melting down over a supposed takeover of the role by Fleabag star Waller-Bridge, likening it to gender-swapped remakes like 2016's all-female Ghostbusters.
Mangold took to Twitter to put the trolls in their place with a thread confirming there is no truth to the rumors and calling out their ridiculous outrage.
\u201c@Jonesy0091 One more time. No one is "taking over" or replacing Indy or donning his hat nor is he being "erased" thru some contrivance\u2014 and he never was, not not in any cut or script \u2014 but trolls will troll \u2014 that's how they get their clicks. 1/\u201d— Mangold (@Mangold) 1670013021
Mangold wrote:
"One more time."
"No one is 'taking over' or replacing Indy or donning his hat nor is he being 'erased' thru some contrivance— and he never was, not not in any cut or script — but trolls will troll — that's how they get their clicks."
Mangold went on to call out people who obsessively monitor behind-the-scenes gossip and on-set photos and assume they know the details of forthcoming films. He tweeted:
@Jonesy0091 And please don't exhaust me pointing out how once in a while a troll is "right". Even a blind squirrel… https://t.co/1FoKOYIpPj— Mangold (@Mangold) 1670013231
Mangold finished his thread with a terse call-out of trolls' culture-war obsessions. Mangold tweeted:
\u201c@Jonesy0091 The diff between trolling a-holes & everyone else is they r trying to make $ off your feelings about other films & culture war politics. They push contoversial guesses as coming from "sources" to gin up clicks. Let it go. END\u201d— Mangold (@Mangold) 1670013021
He wrote:
"The diff between trolling a-holes & everyone else is they r trying to make $ off your feelings about other films & culture war politics."
"They push contoversial [sic] guesses as coming from 'sources' to gin up clicks. Let it go."
Many believe Mangold to be referencing the trend of gender- and race-swapped film adaptations and remakes, like the aforementioned Ghostbusters, 2018's Ocean's Eight, and Black-led superhero films like Black Panther, that have sparked abusive outrage among many conservatives in recent years.
Many people on Twitter appreciated Mangold's frank approach to the absurd uproar.
\u201cHmm, on one side you have an acclaimed director who\u2019s developed and nurtured the project for years. But on the other hand there\u2019s a guy with an online channel who lies for money. \n\nReally, it\u2019s anyone\u2019s guess at this point.\u201d— Pablo Hidalgo (@Pablo Hidalgo) 1670019929
\u201c@mang0ld @Jonesy0091 Kathleen Kennedy has been VERY clear on this point but, hey, why would they believe *the President of Lucasfilm* over\u2026 uh\u2026 some guy on Twitter?\n\nThe trailer looks incredible, btw. Can\u2019t WAIT to see it!!\u201d— Mangold (@Mangold) 1670013021
\u201c@mang0ld @Jonesy0091 @mang0ld First, thanks for doing this movie. Hell yes, I want the guy who directed Logan-also a spectacular adventure with an aging iconic character coming to the end of his journey-directing this. Second, thanks for being very polite but direct about what's true and what isn't.\u201d— Mangold (@Mangold) 1670013021
\u201c@mang0ld @Jonesy0091 @mang0ld - not only do I need to thank you for calling out the trolls like this, but I owe you a long-overdue thank you for Identity. I bloody love that film.\u201d— Mangold (@Mangold) 1670013021
\u201cJames Mangold, James Gray and James Cameron are giving me life these days.\u201d— Brian Davids (@Brian Davids) 1670019316
\u201c@mang0ld There's a new Indiana Jones movie out in a few months. That's all I need to know \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— Mangold (@Mangold) 1670013021
\u201c@mang0ld @Jonesy0091 I\u2019m so sorry you keep having to address this.\u201d— Mangold (@Mangold) 1670013021
\u201cGood on Mangold for calling this BS out.\u201d— The FIRST ORDER of Christmas \ud83c\udf85\ud83c\udffb (@The FIRST ORDER of Christmas \ud83c\udf85\ud83c\udffb) 1670068873
\u201cThanks @mang0ld for addressing this. There\u2019s too much to get excited about to have people trying to rain on the parade or stir the pot just for clicks and profit. Indy\u2019s back and we can\u2019t wait to see where you take him! Cheers!\u201d— IndyintheClassroom (@IndyintheClassroom) 1670070667
Waller-Bridge joins the new installment as Jones' goddaughter Helena. The film is slated to come out in June 2023.