Walter Donovan is the wealthy American who funds the Grail expedition in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Donovan approaches Indiana Jones after Henry Jones Sr. disappears while researching the Holy Grail. He presents himself as a patron of archaeology and supplies resources for the search, but his true allegiance becomes clear when he works with the Nazis and seeks the Grail for immortality.
Julian Glover played Donovan. His character is separate from René Belloq, the rival archaeologist in Raiders of the Lost Ark, even though both men cooperate with Nazi forces in pursuit of powerful artifacts. Donovan is also distinct from Marcus Brody, Indiana’s academic colleague and friend, who joins the Grail adventure for different reasons.
Donovan’s fate depends on his failure to understand the Grail’s warning: the cup must be chosen correctly. The scene emphasizes that the artifact’s power is conditional rather than an unrestricted reward.