ROTTEN TOMATOES: "Indy 4" Bits: Angry Screenwriters and the Return of Marion

"Indy 4" Bits: Angry Screenwriters and the Return of Marion

by Scott Weinberg | April 19, 2007

You're probably well aware that filmmaker Frank Darabont wrote an entire screenplay for "Indiana Jones 4" that got dumped because George Lucas didn't dig it. And, because everyone keeps asking him about the script, he keeps expressing a small dose of resentment about it.

Mr. Darabont explains how he spent about a year crafting the screenplay (along with Steven Spielberg) only to see his work dismissed when Mr. Lucas wanted to go in another direction. The current working script for "Indy 4" comes from David Koepp, which (no offense to Darabont) is fine by me.

Darabont shares: "I said, 'You have a fantastic script. I think you're insane, George.' You can say things like that to George, and he doesn't even blink. He's one of the most stubborn men I know."

Darabont doubts that any of his material will make it on to the screen, and explains why we'll probably never get to read his unused screenplay: "I would love it, but it's not my material to disseminate. At this point, I don't give much of a damn what George thinks, but I wouldn't want to harm my friendship with Steven."

The director also doles out a few details on his upcoming projects, including "The Mist" (principal photography just ended) and an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" -- which might (finally) be getting off the ground already.

And in the gossip arena, one source claims that Karen Allen is indeed on board for "Indy 4." (She played the feisty Marion Ravenwood in "Raiders of the Lost Ark.") We'll wait on confirmation for this one.

Sources: MTV, AICN

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(1-20 of 22 posts) | Reply

Xhrix writes:
on Apr 19 2007 02:44 AM

Maybe they can recycle the script into a video game storyline if we're lucky. If it's the one Lucas didn't like, you know it must have been great

(Reply to this)

FluxCapacitor writes:
on Apr 19 2007 04:30 AM

[b]Frank was shafted[/b]
I'd like to think that Darabont's attempt will show up on Drew's Script O Rama one day.

Then everyone will be able to compare-and-contrast with Lucas's dreadful early drafts of Star Wars, and come to a rational decision about who's the natural talent here.

(Reply to this)

lonechicken writes:
on Apr 19 2007 06:42 AM

I like Darabont, but come on. Who wants to see an Indy movie that's 3 hours long, filled with morally gray characters, slowly unfolding... slowly unfolding... plodding along... ho hum... oh we've finally reached the end?

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gratefuldawg writes:
on Apr 19 2007 06:54 AM

The more information that comes out just on production alone doesnt leave a good vibe for the film. Darbont's screenplays are hit or miss but you can tell his enthusiasm for the material. Koepp is just plain cold and distant; take for instance SPIDERMAN or WAR OF THE WORLDS. And Speilberg too for that matter also became over cynical in his directing,ie MINORITY REPORT, perhaps thats why he stuck with Koepp. As for the film, Lucas burnt out any goodwill between fans with his last fiasco ala STARWARS. After buying into the hype foolishly for each film as they progessively got worse, Ive learned my lesson when it comes to sequels twenty years in the making from this crew.

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gerke writes:
on Apr 19 2007 07:06 AM

well, lucas has some right to speak. and furthermore and indy pic needs a good screenplay otherwise it will be another temple of doom (good movie but not as fun as the other two).

but i like that marion is being brought back, on of the best female roles of the last 30 years. sexy, powerfull and smart just what the doctor ordered.

lucas redeemed himself a bit after SWIII and spielberg can still make a fun movie (Catch me if you can). darabont maybe made the script to slow or deep and koep can still write although war of the world wasn't any god after half an hour.

(Reply to this)

Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 19 2007 07:37 AM

In reply to this comment (#862035)
His latest fiasco? What was his first fiasco? I love how people want to paint George Lucas as the guy behind the 3 new Star Wars movies and just forget all the brilliant works he brought you before and as that series goes they didn't progressively get worse in my opinion I think Revenge was much better than Menace and really besides Phantom Menace were they really that bad? If you don't try to compare them with the originals which were a phenomenon unmatched in film making. The guy tried to do something nice for the fans and they want to crucify him for it. That's sad. I also love how you've expanded your venom to include Spielberg and everyone else associated with this project. I think the Original Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park should buy these guys a little more credit than we're giving them and I for one will have nothing but goodwill toward them regardless of how this movie turns out because they've earned it. Show some appreciation instead of rooting for failure. It's kinda like Satan worship. Even if you're right, what do you win?

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Apr 19 2007 07:40 AM

i am shocked and surprised to see so few anti-lucas diatribes from RTers so far.

and also thankful. god, that's annoying.

(Reply to this)

blank blank writes:
on Apr 19 2007 08:28 AM

could the second star wars trilogy been better? sure... was it a disaster? not really. it wasnt as good as i'd hoped (only Revenge came anywhere close to the originals) but the expectations were just ridiculously high.

as for Indy, there is so much talent involved that any of lucas' shortcomings will be compensated for by the strong director, screenwriter, and actors that they have on the project

(Reply to this)

Mattmovies writes:
on Apr 19 2007 08:59 AM

Darabont was also signed on and nixed from Star Wars Episode I. Marion must be the mother of Shia.

As for criticism, I prefer this quote from Vonnegut:

"He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae. "

(Reply to this)

needles writes:
on Apr 19 2007 09:02 AM

I think Lucas is brilliant and that Darabont needs to grow a thick skin. Whining to the media like a spoiled child with hurt feelings is only tarnishing his reputation. Judging by the way he is getting on over his rejected script, Darabont would probably commit suicide if he was subjected to the uncalled for criticism that Lucas has to put up with on a daily basis.

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Apr 19 2007 10:30 AM

I thought Karen Allen was great in Raiders and would love to see her in the new one, so hopefully it's true.

(Reply to this)

Ash84 writes:
on Apr 19 2007 01:37 PM

In reply to this comment (#862037)
As a director, GL only has 2 or 3 movies that are worth watching: American Graffitti, Episode 4 and Episode 3. Other than that look at his record, anything he directs or gets close to sucks. With Episodes 5 and 6 he was just a writer and producer, NOT a director; and with Indy he was always just a "story" credit, a creative consultant. He's a GREAT creative consultant, but as a director/writer, his best always was and always will be American Graffiti and the original Star Wars (which was over-shadowed, deservingly, by TESB).

What great stuff has he brought us as a director other than 2 or 3 movies? Check out Radioland Murders, please.

(Reply to this)

Ash84 writes:
on Apr 19 2007 01:39 PM

I'm more excited about The Mist. Hope that doesn't flop.

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Apr 19 2007 01:42 PM

In reply to this comment (#862043)
THX 1138 is genius.

and Radioland Murders is only his story.

(Reply to this)

hard8 writes:
on Apr 19 2007 05:12 PM

George doesn't have any good ideas anymore. He has a shitload of toys that he trys to make films around.
Sorry, but when he started making movies for his kids, he lost everyone.

(Reply to this)

DarthTall writes:
on Apr 19 2007 07:28 PM

Bigbrother and Needles are right. George lucas is a visionary and has been a life-long inspiration to myself and countless thousands of other dreamers. It's a sad fact that the vast majority of people who post comments on entertainment websites are pathetic little anti-social a-holes who claim to know everything about everything. Take your hate-spewing, constantly bashing negative attitude somewhere else. If Lucas doesn't like Durabont's script, then he has every right to turn it down. He co-created the character, so I have every confidence that he knows what is best for Indy. I greatly enjoyed the Star Wars prequels and eagerly await the live-action television show. Oh, and for all you Lucas-hating tools out there...I'd love to see you write and/or direct something better yourselves!

(Reply to this)

Zen Bullet writes:
on Apr 19 2007 08:37 PM

I gave Lucas a lot of credit before the Star Wars prequels.

But the prequels were so AWFUL . . . one right after another!

The stories were weak, to say the least. Dialog was amaturish. Performances were wooden. Shots were poorly staged. Logic was abandoned. His general intuition regarding the SW universe was WAY off the mark(we got Count Dooku instead of the cool female Sith warrior that was pitched? . . . and how is it that the guy who created the universe to begin with also happened to be the only person on the planet who didn't 'get it'?). The films just weren't professional. If it hadn't been for the original trilogy, and the deserved goodwill it had brought, the prequels would have been viewed for what they were. They were laughably bad.

Lucas is good at pushing technology to new levels . . . and in a sense I think this is where his stubborness pays off: he doesn't compromise. If he has a cool vision, he pushes for it. But whatever fire moved him with the original SW trilogy and with Indiana Jones seems lost and buried in cynicism.

Spielberg, on the other hand, is still on his game. His recent films have had various faults . . . but regardless, he's still a creative, hungry director. I feel better with him involved on Indy because he's a solid writer as well. In fact, I'm not sure why he didn't take up script duties himself.

Darabont is a great writer. I'm not sure if he was ideal casting for an Indy screenplay, but I think he's good enough to have pulled off something powerful, especially with Spielberg's oversight.

But frankly, when it comes to storytelling and screenwriting I don't trust Lucas anymore. He may have "officially" introduced the hero's journey storytelling approach to cinema(which is so effective in action/adventure films), but he abandoned his own learned wisdom with the prequels.

(Reply to this)

Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 20 2007 05:29 AM

In reply to this comment (#862043)
aaannndd is George Lucas going to direct or write this movie? No. and answer me this simple question. Without George Lucas would there have been a Star Wars, Empire or Return of the Jedi? Didn't think so. For that alone you should bow down and kiss the mans feet. He's also pushed the envelop on Speciel Effects for 30 years. Without ILM and Lucas you wouldn't have had the T-Rex in Jurassic Park and how bad would that movie have sucked without that. Please do me a favor if you think Lucas sucks and has nothing more to contribute. Don't go see Indy IV. He doesn't need your money and I'd much rather not have to wait the extra 30 seconds in line for you to get your ticket.

(Reply to this)

danrice56 writes:
on Apr 20 2007 10:11 AM

In reply to this comment (#862047)
at the risk of being labeled another "Lucas bashing tool", I fail to see how anyone, in my opinion, could have greatly enjoyed the 3 star wars prequels.
As for writng and or directing something better myself, I could shit something better than the 3 sw prequels.

(Reply to this)

Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 20 2007 10:56 AM

In reply to this comment (#862050)
You're right, the three prequals were pretty disappointing with only Sith even approaching the genius of the originals. What is being said by me anyways is that all Directors, Writers and Producers make movies that fail to live up to their predeccessors. I can't recall one person over a 30 year career who's gone from success to greater success, BUT you CAN'T disregard someones previous body of work just because they took on a virtually impossible task and failed to live up to it. Also, I'm gonna guess you probably aren't of the generation of the original Star Wars because even though I was disappointed with the prequals on the whole when they first activated the lightsabers in Phantom Menace I was a kid again and I think the movies were worth making for that alone.

Also, if you can **** better movies than them I suggest you immediately move to Hollywood, because someone will hire you. Because as dissappointing as they may have been to some they were still better than a lot of stuff that comes out of Hollywood that has much less lofty goals.

(Reply to this)

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