Though it has been over a decade since the last Indiana Jones installment graced the big screen, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will not—by any means—stray away from the film's usual formula, with a de-aged Harrison Ford featured in flashback sequences. Explaining the significance of including Lucasfilm's archival footage of his previous work, director James Mangold sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the meaningful context the flashback entails and how it serves as a reminder for audiences of what the character has done in the past, including how much he survived and what he has accomplished.

The trailer for the upcoming fifth film in the Indiana Jones saga has the actor donning his distinct hat and whip ensemble once again. And, as fans are already aware, the film's opening sequence takes place during the installment's earlier days. But Mangold, however, wants the audience to know what the character has been through in his 70-year existence. He told THR:

"It reminds the audience of the contrast between a hero in his physical prime and a hero at 70. We're not relying solely on the audience's memory of the previous films. It reminds everyone what he's done, what he's survived, what he's accomplished. By showing him in his most hearty and then finding him at 70 in New York City, it produces for the audience a kind of wonderful whiplash of how they're going to have to readjust and retool their brains for this guy."

Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Image Via Disney

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The director also said that the flashback serves as a reminder to viewers of how worn down the clever explorer has become over time: "His past is a live memory for the audience hanging over a man who is now living with anonymity in a world that no longer cares or recognizes the things he felt so deeply about. You're left with a multi-layered perception of his character, both what he was and what he is, and how the world is different between the first 20 minutes of the movie."

Now in his 80s, Ford has long been a crucial part of the adventure franchise, having acted in all four films as the titular character from 1981 up to 2008. With the fifth installment on the way, Dial of Destiny will take place in 1969, with Indy living in the midst of the Space Race along with his goddaughter (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) joining him in his latest adventure, as well as former Nazi Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), who has been hired by the U.S. government to help them defeat the Soviet Union. Worried about the government's decision, Indy will be joined by old friends Renaldo (Antonio Banderas) and Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) in a presumably adventurous, exciting, and exhilarating quest. Other cast members include Toby Jones as Basil, Thomas Kretschmann as Colonel Weber, Shaunette Renée as Wilson Agent Mason, Alaa Safi as Rahim, and Mark Killeen as Pontimus.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is set to hit theaters on June 30th.