Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny supporting star Karen Allen reveals that Marion’s role in the movie was nearly cut, but a letter to Steven Spielberg and Lucasfilm changed everything. Releasing in summer 2023, the fifth installment in the long-running Indiana Jones franchise brings back Harrison Ford as the intrepid archaeologist for one last adventure.

Directed by franchise newcomer James Mangold, with Spielberg producing, the latest Indiana Jones movie brings back two legacy supporting characters from past installments. These include John Rhys-Davies as Sallah, Indy’s friend and adventure companion, and Allen as Marion Ravenwood, Indy’s love interest from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and 2008’s divisive Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

During a recent panel at Connecticut’s Terrificon (via ComicBook.com), however, Allen reveals that Marion almost wasn’t in Indiana Jones 5 at all. Marion was poised to play a fairly major role in the movie when Spielberg was set to direct, but this changed when Mangold was hired and the story was overhauled. Check out her recollection of events below:

“When Steven was gonna direct [Indiana Jones 5], I was majorly [featured]. It was about us, Indy and Marion. But then when he stepped to the side and they went off in a different direction — I think I can say this now because it’s been some time — I wasn’t in the original script that they finished when James Mangold [came aboard].

“When he finished the script, I wasn’t in it at all. It was communicated to me, and I said, ‘You’re making a terrible mistake.’

Allen then explains that she wrote a letter to Mangold, Spielberg, and producer Kathleen Kennedy, informing them that they’re “making a terrible mistake.” According to Allen, the letter communicated that “‘Marion is such a vital, interesting, wonderful character you created, you can’t just let her disappear. You can’t just let her disappear into the ether.‘”

This plea ultimately worked, with Kennedy getting in touch and the story altered to include Marion:

“And I got a phone call the next day and Kathy Kennedy said, ‘You’re absolutely right. I don’t know why we thought it was okay to do that.’

“They wrote this lovely scene that ends the film. It’s the two of us, you feel like we’re going to end up together.”

Still, Allen admits that the small cameo “was not what I hoped,” as she would have liked to see Marion play a larger role in the film to do justice to that character:

“I hoped Marion would be more a part of the final one. I just wanted to stand up for the character, not so much myself. But I really felt like Marion deserves better, that’s what I thought.”

What This Means For Indiana Jones 5

Allen’s role as part of the Indiana Jones 5 cast is exceedingly small. Though it’s explained in the movie that Mutt’s death destroyed Indy and Marion’s marriage, Marion doesn’t show up until the final few minutes. After returning from the past, Indy ultimately makes amends with Marion, with the two characters seemingly poised to rekindle their romance.

Though Dial of Destiny reviews were generally positive from critics, the response overall was somewhat lukewarm, and this is reflected in the movie’s dismal performance at the box office. It’s not clear how a larger role for Marion would have impacted the reception, but Kingdom of the Crystal Skull did attempt this previously, and the results were mixed.

There are likely many reasons why Indiana Jones 5 underperformed, but it seems that Indy just means less to younger generations. Ford, after all, was nearly 80 when he sH๏τ the film and there’s a reason most movie action heroes aren’t octogenarians. Giving Allen, who is 73, a larger role probably would not have helped from a commercial perspective.

Our Take On Karen Allen’s Indiana Jones 5 Comments

A core part of Dial of Destiny is Indy grappling with his age; he feels like he doesn’t have a place in this modern world. There’s certainly room for Marion in this story, especially since Kingdom of the Crystal Skull solidifies that she is Indy’s one true love.

What’s more, one of the most powerful moments in Dial of Destiny is the scene on the boat when Indy tells Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena about Mutt’s death and its impact on his marriage. This scene suggests there may have been more to mine in terms of Indy and Marion’s relationship and their shared grief.

This ultimately didn’t come to pᴀss, though, and it doesn’t seem like the pair will be showing up in another film. Though Marion’s return may not have been as substantial a role as Allen hoped, it does serve as a touching emotional ʙuттon for Indiana Jones and the Dial Destiny.