Post by Timothy on May 21, 2008 18:45:54 GMT -5
Split from: Indiana+Jones+and+the+Temple+of+the+Crystal+Sk
This information was originally posted on Ain't It Cool News From a Fox News article which will be reposted here in-full.
The following is, IMO, an excellent summary of things yet to come by a poster on AICN's feedback to the article:
The name of Shia's character is Mutt Williams. It isn't John Smith or Steve Johnson or something plain, it's a name that sounds like a movie character. And it's the exact same formula they used for Indiana Jones' name. Dog based first name, common American last name. It isn't coincidence. Not to mention the fact that KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL is set in the 50's and has a whole new type of genre influence: Sci-Fi. Right now they have an actor who is young, his career is on fire, and they could start a whole new franchise with him.
MUTT WILLIAMS AND THE (INSERT 50's SCI-FI SOUNDING TITLE)
STAR WARS is dead. At least until Lucasfilm makes a sequel trilogy in 10 to 15 years with or without George. INDIANA JONES is as good as dead. Harrison Ford is 65 years old, and he IS Indiana Jones. George Lucas LOVES Sci-Fi from the 1950's. Why wouldn't he do this? He sure as hell isn't going to make his "art films" anytime soon. Or ever for that matter.
Here's another one of my favorites ;D
George Lucas: "...I have an idea to make Shia [LeBeouf] the lead character next time [for Indiana Jones V] and have Harrison [Ford] come back like Sean Connery did in the last movie. I can see it working out."
(Flaggg, online member of Ain't It Cool News forums):
"Just shows how out of touch with real storytelling Lucas is."
This information was originally posted on Ain't It Cool News From a Fox News article which will be reposted here in-full.
Lucas: 'Indy 5' a Possibility
George Lucas tells me it’s more than a strong possibility there will be a fifth "Indiana Jones." He says that he and director Steven Spielberg have left the door open for a sequel to "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
Lucas, looking dandy with slicked-back gray and white hair in a snappy tuxedo, was a guest Thursday night at Paramount/DreamWorks’s party for "Kung Fu Panda" at the 61st Cannes Film Festival.
The swell event was set up on the pier across from the Carlton Hotel, where the studio spared no expense recreating sets and treating guests to haute Chinese cuisine. There was even one of the 40 pandas from the publicity stunt the day before, dancing in the crowd to Carl Carlton’s old hit "Kung Fu Fighting."
Lucas had a lot to say about the new "Indy" and its future.
"I haven’t even told Steven or Harrison this," he said. "But I have an idea to make Shia [LeBeouf] the lead character next time and have Harrison [Ford] come back like Sean Connery did in the last movie. I can see it working out.
"And it’s not like Harrison is even old. I mean, he’s 65 and he did everything in this movie. The old chemistry is there, and it’s not like he’s an old man. He’s incredibly agile; he looks even better than he did 20 years ago, if you ask me."
Lucas says he’s not concerned about early mixed buzz on "Crystal Skull."
"This movie is the exact same experience as the other three were. The difference is, the novelty of discovery is gone. I get worried when I hear fans say they’re expecting something different that will change their lives. This is 'Indiana Jones' just as you remember him."
But that’s exactly the gamble Spielberg and Lucas took with reviving their icon. Expectation grows into a frenzy and then no one in that frame of mind can be satisfied.
You already can see this with "Sex and the City: The Movie" and it hasn't even opened everywhere. Fans and even some critics want some transcendent experience. They almost seem upset that all they got was … "Sex and the City."
Lucas has been here before, when he revived and extended the "Star Wars" series. The build-up to the release of the fourth installment (aka now Chapter 1), "Phantom Menace," was huge until it reached a fever pitch. Then, almost before it could be absorbed, "Phantom Menace" became the target of scorn from fanatics. Computer-generated character Jar Jar Binks was public enemy No. 1.
But "Star Wars" continues to thrive. In August, Lucas says, he’s releasing an animated 90-minute "Star Wars" movie to theaters via Warner Bros. called "Clone Wars." It will be followed in September by an animated series on the Cartoon Network and TNT.
"No one wanted it," he told me. "Every studio rejected it, including Fox, and I’m very loyal to them. They have right of first refusal. Eventually I brought it to Warners. It’s the first time that three components of the studio have acted together. It’s very exciting.
"But the story is that everyone said, 'No one gets this. It’s just … 'Star Wars.'' I said, 'That’s right, It’s just 'Star Wars.' Just like this is … 'Indiana Jones.''"
Oh, yes, and by the way: If "Crystal Skull" breaks records when it opens on May 22, Lucas could wind up having his name on a fourth title in the all-time box office top 10 (it would be Spielberg’s second).
"But these movies — the 'Indiana Jones' ones — were never big hits right away. They were always slow starters that built up to big numbers," Lucas insisted.
I don’t think that will be the case with this one. And the notion that a sequel already is playing around in his head should only fuel the heady numbers about to be posted.
George Lucas tells me it’s more than a strong possibility there will be a fifth "Indiana Jones." He says that he and director Steven Spielberg have left the door open for a sequel to "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
Lucas, looking dandy with slicked-back gray and white hair in a snappy tuxedo, was a guest Thursday night at Paramount/DreamWorks’s party for "Kung Fu Panda" at the 61st Cannes Film Festival.
The swell event was set up on the pier across from the Carlton Hotel, where the studio spared no expense recreating sets and treating guests to haute Chinese cuisine. There was even one of the 40 pandas from the publicity stunt the day before, dancing in the crowd to Carl Carlton’s old hit "Kung Fu Fighting."
Lucas had a lot to say about the new "Indy" and its future.
"I haven’t even told Steven or Harrison this," he said. "But I have an idea to make Shia [LeBeouf] the lead character next time and have Harrison [Ford] come back like Sean Connery did in the last movie. I can see it working out.
"And it’s not like Harrison is even old. I mean, he’s 65 and he did everything in this movie. The old chemistry is there, and it’s not like he’s an old man. He’s incredibly agile; he looks even better than he did 20 years ago, if you ask me."
Lucas says he’s not concerned about early mixed buzz on "Crystal Skull."
"This movie is the exact same experience as the other three were. The difference is, the novelty of discovery is gone. I get worried when I hear fans say they’re expecting something different that will change their lives. This is 'Indiana Jones' just as you remember him."
But that’s exactly the gamble Spielberg and Lucas took with reviving their icon. Expectation grows into a frenzy and then no one in that frame of mind can be satisfied.
You already can see this with "Sex and the City: The Movie" and it hasn't even opened everywhere. Fans and even some critics want some transcendent experience. They almost seem upset that all they got was … "Sex and the City."
Lucas has been here before, when he revived and extended the "Star Wars" series. The build-up to the release of the fourth installment (aka now Chapter 1), "Phantom Menace," was huge until it reached a fever pitch. Then, almost before it could be absorbed, "Phantom Menace" became the target of scorn from fanatics. Computer-generated character Jar Jar Binks was public enemy No. 1.
But "Star Wars" continues to thrive. In August, Lucas says, he’s releasing an animated 90-minute "Star Wars" movie to theaters via Warner Bros. called "Clone Wars." It will be followed in September by an animated series on the Cartoon Network and TNT.
"No one wanted it," he told me. "Every studio rejected it, including Fox, and I’m very loyal to them. They have right of first refusal. Eventually I brought it to Warners. It’s the first time that three components of the studio have acted together. It’s very exciting.
"But the story is that everyone said, 'No one gets this. It’s just … 'Star Wars.'' I said, 'That’s right, It’s just 'Star Wars.' Just like this is … 'Indiana Jones.''"
Oh, yes, and by the way: If "Crystal Skull" breaks records when it opens on May 22, Lucas could wind up having his name on a fourth title in the all-time box office top 10 (it would be Spielberg’s second).
"But these movies — the 'Indiana Jones' ones — were never big hits right away. They were always slow starters that built up to big numbers," Lucas insisted.
I don’t think that will be the case with this one. And the notion that a sequel already is playing around in his head should only fuel the heady numbers about to be posted.
The following is, IMO, an excellent summary of things yet to come by a poster on AICN's feedback to the article:
The name of Shia's character is Mutt Williams. It isn't John Smith or Steve Johnson or something plain, it's a name that sounds like a movie character. And it's the exact same formula they used for Indiana Jones' name. Dog based first name, common American last name. It isn't coincidence. Not to mention the fact that KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL is set in the 50's and has a whole new type of genre influence: Sci-Fi. Right now they have an actor who is young, his career is on fire, and they could start a whole new franchise with him.
MUTT WILLIAMS AND THE (INSERT 50's SCI-FI SOUNDING TITLE)
STAR WARS is dead. At least until Lucasfilm makes a sequel trilogy in 10 to 15 years with or without George. INDIANA JONES is as good as dead. Harrison Ford is 65 years old, and he IS Indiana Jones. George Lucas LOVES Sci-Fi from the 1950's. Why wouldn't he do this? He sure as hell isn't going to make his "art films" anytime soon. Or ever for that matter.
Here's another one of my favorites ;D
George Lucas: "...I have an idea to make Shia [LeBeouf] the lead character next time [for Indiana Jones V] and have Harrison [Ford] come back like Sean Connery did in the last movie. I can see it working out."
(Flaggg, online member of Ain't It Cool News forums):
"Just shows how out of touch with real storytelling Lucas is."
