comment #1

Nicol D says ...

Raiders of the Lost Ark is my favourite film of all time, bar none, hands down.

I would welcome another Indy if done right but without having more info its hard to say.

This notion of a 'controversial' Maguffin has whetted my appetite. I know what I hope it is but I do not think it is where they are at; although it would be the final logical relic of choice.

I would have loved the Kevin Costner as brother concept that was floated around in the 90's but the Natalie Portman as daughter concept makes me want to vomit.

Personally, I do not think this film will ever come to fruition. I think each man is too afraid to collectively 'pull the trigger' and Ford will eventually get too old.

Still...I am curious.

comment #2

travis b says ...

dammit jeff. where was the spoiler warning for the end of one flew over the cuckoo's nest???

i kid, i kid.

if the indy IV movie does every get off the ground, i'm a little worried about it, especially with the comment by Lucas comparing it to the Phantom Menace. It seems like he's already resigned to it not being liked by fans or critics, which seems to me as if he's okay with mediocrity. i would be much more excited if he wanted to put something out that would not only please him, but everyone in general. instead, this just feels...i don't know...like a quick grab for cash. and spielberg being reluctant with whatever the idea is..that dosn't look good. but i hope it works out..i really do.

good to have you back, too.

comment #3

Kristopher Tapley says ...

Hahahahahaha...

(Hope you're feeling better...)

comment #4

Rich S. says ...

Let's see. Supernatural. MacGuffin. Religious artifact. Controversial. Nazis.

Didn't Constantine already use the Spear of Destiny?

Anyway, I just love Lucas coy flirting. "If we did it, it would basically be to say 'up yours' to the fans that have been clamoring for it for 20 years. We'd give them what they're asking for, but not really what they want. Oh, wait. I already did that with the Star Wars DVDs. Tomato, tomato."

comment #5

Sid Yobbo says ...

I wonder if even Spielberg, Lucas & Ford believe another movie is going to happen. They keep talking about it but there never seems to be much movement. I wonder too if the audience is really all that bothered. The original was terrific fun, the sequels less so. Let it rest as a happy memory.

comment #6

ArchiveGuy says ...

Anyone who's seen the IJ DVD box set documentary will remember that "Temple of Doom" (easily the worst of the trilogy) was largely the brainchild of Lucas. Spielberg is quite candid in that he wasn't fond of the situation, the occult aspect, or anything else, but this was his best friend and he couldn't say No. Although he couches some of these sentiments, it's pretty clear that he mostly looks back on that film with fondness because that's where he met his future wife. From the Empire article, it sounds like history may be repeating itself a bit, with GL pushing a particular issue and SS reluctantly "buying" into something he's not really sold on. This is extremely worrisome.

The "Phantom Menace" comment is not reassuring either, because to say "We could never meet people's expectations" is quite simply a copout. Maybe they couldn't meet everybody's expectations, but if the movie's good, it won't matter to most people. That's why the SW prequels got the reception they did (big $$$ notwithstanding)--not because they didn't meet expectations, but because they simply sucked.

comment #7

le corbeau says ...

I'd be cool if we were about to get Indy XII, if they had all cost about $50 million, and if they had changed over the years to take in Ford's age and somnolence. Or if we were on our 4th Indiana Jones by now, or something.

What I can't stand about today's movies is the way $200 million and five years go into polishing the third turd to something that should have been breezy and fun. It's what's wrong with the elephantine Pirates of the Caribbean (whose only initial virtue was the breeziness with which Depp took the whole overblown project; now breeziness is overblown too), with the way-too-solemn Superman Returns, with the increasingly self-important Star Wars and Matrix movies, etc. etc. It's enough to make me kind of admire Terminator 3 for being the Conquest of the Planet of the Apes of Terminator movies.

comment #8

PaulKolas says ...

Give me the pillow, Jeff. I'll smother this warmed over hash with nostalgic compassion, since I was working for Paramount Pictures Distribution in San Francisco in 1981, and had the pleasure of attending a private screening of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" at the now defunct Northpoint Theater on Saturday morning, May 9, with Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford, and then distribution chief Frank Mancuso Sr. in attendence. Seeing that film before anyone else had was a true rush, and talking to all of the above after the screening was even better. Ford flew up from the LA shoot of "Blade Runner", with Melissa Mathison at his side, and was extremely cordial considering how tired he looked. Spielberg was a true gentleman, and we talked about the editing of the film, and what really surprised me was how relived he was to hear how much I loved "Raiders". The man was, at the time, severely insecure after the critical and financial lashing that "1941" had taken, even with "Jaws" under his belt. I think trying to revive this franchise is simply a very bad idea. Let it go, boys, please just let it go and move on to other things. I thought you wanted to get back to your UCLA film school roots, George, and make the films you wanted to make before "Star Wars" imprisoned you creatively.

Paul Kolas
Worcester, MA

comment #9

le corbeau says ...

"Or if we were on our 4th Indiana Jones by now, or something."

I mean, actor playing the part. Not 4th movie, which we are!

comment #10

sprofessor says ...

TPM was awful but even if it wasn't, even if Lucas made a really great, daring film - it still wouldn't have satisfied people. As great as Empire was, not everyone back in 1980 liked it. And that was only 3 years after SW, imagine after 16?

So I think Lucas is right. Maybe that's the problem: Lucas just wants to make the film the way he wants and Spielberg (forever the people pleaser) is trying to live up to expectations. They are doomed eitherway, so why bother?

If they really wanted to do this they should have done it back in the early 90's. Going back to a franchise after so long is a mistake. Godfather III and SW prequels never should have happened or even been considered IMO.

comment #11

Hallick says ...

If George Lucas had come out with a really great and daring Phantom Menace, reviews would have still been mixed all the same. But at the same time, there would have been a hardcore section of the audience that LOVED the movie; and even by now, its popularity would be nearing some kind of legendary status, eventually eclipsing the negative reactions just as The Empire Strikes Back must have.

But, instead, Phantom Menace is like a middling tattoo on the body of the Star Wars universe that'll never be removed.

comment #12

insidah says ...

I thought Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ended the trilogy in fine form, complete with the proverbial riding off into the sunset. If a new Jones episode is to be made, Lucas should only contribute to the story. His screenwriting/directing skills are...meh.

comment #13

MathewM says ...

What's keeping the Indy 4 flame going is primarily nostalgia and Ford stating that he would like to re-visit the character. Yet clearly there hasn't been the passion or the story to motivate the three of them to make the film. So I would just leave it be. As I remember they had Indy and his dad riding off into the sunset at the end of Last Crusade....

comment #14

Dan Revill says ...

TPM isn't a total waste of time. It has what is arguably the best light saber battle from any of the films as far as staging goes (sorta lacks the emotion of the OT, but with these movies its beside the point)...the pod race is pretty thrilling...and...um...yeah, okay anything else is a reach...If you skip out the Jar-Jar bits, as much as possible, it's actually a decent film. It's amazing how one character can ruin a film.
I enjoy the second film, ATOC...I admit, if I were to attack it, it'd be with a wet noodle.
ROTS is where its at. Definitely on par with the original trilogy. All of the sudden emotion was allowed back into the galaxy.
But yeah, none of those films are ever going to be the OT for those of us who grew up watching Luke, Han & Leia...

As for Indiana Jones, I'm all for killing the project. It's gathered mythological proportions already, and nary a shot has been filmed. What they should do is make a movie about making the movie. That'd probably be a lot more interesting.
You've got a good OT trilogy already, when it comes to Indy, so may as well let sleeping dogs rest. No one's gonna begrudge them if they don't do it. I'd rather see Lucas go and do something truly different than the world he's been in for the past decade...see his 'independant' flicks. As for Spielberg, as long as it is not another Terminal, I'll be happy with whatever he does.

comment #15

Balthazar says ...

What we need is a franchise relaunch featuring:

1. A new lead actor AND character
2. Ford as no more than a co-star or cameo
3. Spielberg directing
4. Lucas serving as no more than co-writer (preferably just a story credit)
5. Copious use of the Indiana Jones theme by Williams
6. Kick-ass action sequences
7. Something set during the Cold War in the 1960s, with the Soviets as the enemy (or perhaps the Soviets trying to finish something started by the Nazi occultists)

Russell Crowe works for me!

comment #16

L.B. says ...

Harrison Ford will not eventually be too old for this. He's been too old (physically and otherwise) for this for at least ten years now. I seriously doubt this will happen. Let's hope not. The last one was lame enough. Let's leave it at that.

comment #17

Rich S. says ...

I remember reading an interview with Harrison Ford when he took over for Alec Baldwin to do Patriot Games. They asked him why he wanted to take on a character midway through a series and he said something along the lines of, "I still want to do a couple more action films before I get too old to hit stuff."

Patriot Games came out 14 years ago.

comment #18

Nate West says ...

Yeah, you guessed it, Nicol D. After the Ark (Moses), the Holy Grail (Jesus), what's left? The Black Stone of Mecca! And what perfect timing, real-world-wise!

Really, what could be better than Indiana Jones versus the Caliphate?

And it's what I would expect from George Lucas. I mean, this is the guy who, in the Ewoks, saw a pre-industrial tribe (the Viet Cong) defeating a clumsy, over-confident hi-tech foe (the U.S.). So, of course, he would want to move Indy, cinema's most charming imperialist thief, to Mecca just as the "War on Terror" continues to rage on.

Incendiary, indeed.

comment #19

MPNeeb says ...

I got it! No more religious artifacts! Indiana has to go after the bicycle that the LSD inventor rode after he invented LSD! "Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Trip"