What happened between 1993 and 2000?

[Dene]

We all know the last 5+ years of Indy 4 history pretty well. However, there's a big gap in my knowledge of the project.

From my own point of view, I remember the official announcement of (circa) October 1993 when our three friends said that they were going to reconvene some day to make a fourth instalment -- but the next I really heard of it was early 2000 when the first three films came out on video in 2.35:1. There were short 'making-of's on those tapes and George Lucas said they had a script for number 4.

It started rolling thereafter, with Spielberg giving an interview about A.I. in 2001 in which he said (something like) "the Indy 4 hat is halfway on my head".

But is there any definite history of those quieter years? Who wrote that script Lucas talked of in 1999/2000? Did 'the big three' say anything about the film in that time?

Has anyone put together a chronological, “in their own words”, collection of soundbites from the Indy alumni dating from, well, 1989 onwards? They’ve certainly been asked for updates often enough! What a fascinating read that would be.

[fedoraboy]

Thats a good question.

There was the Atlantis talk in the early 90's (I still think it would have been great to have had an Atlantis movie in 1993/4) and then relatively nothing until 2000 when it was rumoured that 'man of the moment' M Night would be taking on scripting duties.

I suppose both Spielberg and Ford were busy in the late 90's trying other things, and Lucas had those other little movies to concentrate on.

Apparently it was Ford that got momentum going on Indy 4 again a few years back. I suppose following on from a string of lacklustre efforts (K19/Hollywood Homicide/Firewall) a return to Indy seemed like the perfect antidote.

[fedoraboy]

Wikipedia says that Jeffrey Boam (scripter for LC) had a go at the script in 1995...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_4

[James]

The earliest rumblings began around 1993. Ford realized that his getting back to action (The Fugitive) was what people wanted to see, and admitted he would like to don the fedora again. But there were never any serious plans at this time, with (post-Schindler) Spielberg saying he couldn't return to "cartoon nazis" any time soon.

It was mainly just Ford saying he would do it "in a New York minute" whenever he was asked. And Ford was doing a lot of press over the next year, with The Fugitive generating Oscar buzz and the increasing popularity of Tom Clancy/Jack Ryan. As a result, Indy 4 was suddenly rumoured to be released in Summer 1995. I assume this is the period that ultimately led to the Saucer Men script (Jeb Stuart).

When that script was rejected, the project seemed to return to the realm of interview/fan speculation. In 1996, the Sons of Darkness script surfaced online. This was the first of many plots which would be released online over the next few years. The script was ultimately revealed to be a fan creation, but at the time, people weren't sure what to make of it.

The same year, Spielberg suggested in an interview that the plot would concern Adam and Eve. (This would later be hinted at in a 2002 interview, when Spielberg said he would like Indy 4 to center around a "mature love story, ala Robin and Marion".) He also admitted that Atlantis had never been under consideration for the plot.

During 1997, Ford was spotted in Hawaii filming Six Days, Seven Nights. This led to a new rumour that Indiana Jones and the Lost Continent was underway.

The biggest momentum came in 1998. Spielberg gave an interview where he admitted his children always asked him, "When are you going to make another Indiana Jones?" He revealed that he had promised them he would, and that the fedora was halfway on his head again. Lucas seemed very eager too, and most were expecting an announcement at any time. Cinescape even released an issue with Indy (rope bridge) on the cover and the headline, "He's Back!"

There were also two mysterious scripts that surfaced via brief excerpts. The first, Raiders of the Fallen Empire (Garrett Black), was said to be under consideration by both Lucas and Paramount. It was alleged to center around the discovery of the Garden of Eden, which recalled Spielberg's earlier remarks. The second, Law of One, featured the return of Willie Scott (and her daughter), a 1950's setting, and an ancient device which had destroyed Atlantis. The latter was reportedly just another work of fan fiction, however...

It's interesting to note that all of those elements have resurfaced over the years. Ford and Capshaw have suggested Willie Scott will return. There have been rumours of Indy having a daughter. A 1950's setting has been mentioned several times. And the developers of IJ and the Infernal Machine reported that their storyline had to be altered, for fear that it would interfere with the plot of Indy 4.

Personally, I think 1998 was the closest the project came to happening, with Darabont's script being the next "near miss". During press for Minority Report, Spielberg admitted they were ready to go in 1998, but the script simply fell apart. Everything else has (seemingly) been fanned by the internet and the fact that interviewers continue to ask about Indy 4.

[Katarn07]

Does anyone remember a script by Chris Columbus? I saw it online right around the time I found this place. I think it was dated '95 or so.

I remember when I was younger hearing about an Indy 4. And you're right, news of it really didn't start up again until at least 2000.

[James]

The Columbus script was IJ and Monkey King. It was originally intended as Indy III, with many elements (such as a tank chase) making their way into Last Crusade.

[DarthLowBudget]

The Chris Columbus script was redated by someone to make it look like they had an Indy 4 script.

Saucermen was written by Jeb Stuart of Die Hard fame, not Boam (unless Boam tackled an extremely early draft, and judging by the final saucermen script we have seen, I don't want to see an early rejected version of it).

Anyways, I think what would be the ultimate thing for Indy fans would be a comprehensive making of Indy 4 book that covered all of the development, and included a CD with PDF's of every script that was ever in consideration. Only then would I be truly satisfied.

[James]

Saucermen was written by Jeb Stuart of Die Hard fame, not Boam (unless Boam tackled an extremely early draft, and judging by the final saucermen script we have seen, I don't want to see an early rejected version of it).

No, that's correct. Boam's name has basically been credited to every fake script over the years (ie. Sons of Darkness; etc.), which is probably why I always want to credit him for Saucermen as well.

[Dene]

Anyways, I think what would be the ultimate thing for Indy fans would be a comprehensive making of Indy 4 book that covered all of the development, and included a CD with PDF's of every script that was ever in consideration. Only then would I be truly satisfied.Absolutely -- wouldn't that be great? In fact, we really need a book about the entire saga. Surely, next year, we might well get it?

Thanks for all the replies.

[Violet]

Has anyone here actually read Sons of Darkness? I've heard the basic storyline but was it any good?

[DarthLowBudget]

What does it matter?

I mean, it was a fan script right?


Hmm...

I know it would never happen, but we should petition Lucasfilm to release the development info for the movie at some point.

[James]

Has anyone here actually read Sons of Darkness? I've heard the basic storyline but was it any good?

Not really. I remember thinking it could've been an okay comic miniseries, but not a good movie. It was basically noteworthy for being one of the first alleged script leaks. Even Lucasfilm didn't seem to know what to make of it, and threatened to sue.

There wasn't much action in it, as Indy spent 2/3 of the plot just trying to make his way to Mt. Ararat. Most of the story focused on his 12-year-old son, who decided to run away and look for Noah's Ark.

It was also somewhat depressing. Marion had become an alcoholic. Henry Sr. died (offscreen) within the first few pages. And Indy was semi-retired from globe-trotting. (In fact, it was a little surprising at how much Indy acknowledged his age- especially considering this was back before people starting making old jokes about Indy 4.)

Noah's Ark made for a very anticlimactic finale, and there were far too many nods to Raiders. I was glad to see Koepp acknowledge that they are going to try and avoid that type of thing in Indy 4.

[Finn]

Another thing that ties quite nicely into everything that's happened is Hal Barwood's comment in an interview back in '98 when they were developing the Infernal Machine:

"We had another story to go for at first, but the company told us to put it on hold, because they might use it one day to make a movie."

It remains unrevealed of which story he does talk about, but it certainly fits the timeframe. Also would explain why we never saw a script; it was penned out as a plot outline that got George quite excited but it never made it into completed script...

Plus, it's another viable explanation to the current "McGuffin" speech. With lot of ifs, naturally.

[DarthLowBudget]

Now that's interesting, i wonder what the game was originally supposed to be about.

[James]

It remains unrevealed of which story he does talk about, but it certainly fits the timeframe.

Yes, I agree with that theory.

The only disappointing thing here is that, it basically sounds like Spielberg and Ford just said, "Fine, George, we'll do your idea." And if true, that means we could've had Indy 4 nearly a decade earlier.

[Moedred]

So did Hal Barwood stumble upon one of the ideas already being considered by Lucasfilm, or did he discover the exciting macguffin himself (contrary to Lucas's claim)? I'm sure he's eager to tell. Make a note to ask him next year.

[Finn]

Actually, more I think of it, more viable it appears that the "mystery screenwriter" we've been looking for the movie they were planning in the late 90s is Hal Barwood.

After all, he did pen Spielberg's early thriller Sugarland Express. He was also helping screenwrite Close Encounters of the Third Kind, plus he had given already proof he can write an Indy adventure by the means of plot in FoA.

There were rumors of Indy going after Atlantis in the mid 90s. Barwood's involvement work as a partial explanation to those too.

A lot of guesswork here, but the evidence clinches together nicely nevertheless.

[DarthLowBudget]

When was Infernal Machine released, and when did it start development? The second question is more important than the first.

[Finn]

When was Infernal Machine released, and when did it start development? The second question is more important than the first. It was released in 2000.

Considering it uses the original Jedi Knight's engine which was released in '97... as the code it uses has been around since '95, that's absolutely as far back as we can draw IM's technical development as well. However, it seems likely that IM did not enter development until after Jedi Knight.

Storyboard stage could of course have existed for god knows how long... all the way since FoA hit shelves for all we know. But as usual, it seems likely we're going past mid 90s with this phase of development as well.

So, to answer the second question, sometime between 1997-99 most likely.

[DarthLowBudget]

So it would've started after all the Alien scripts were written in 95 then. Interesting. I was going to suggest that the game may have been more Alien themed, and they had to change that to make way for the alien sripts, but if it was started 97-98 then I am considerably more intrigued by this.

Gah! This is killing me! I wonder how long before we start to find out what he's after...

[Moedred]

This may be the best/only archive of 20th century Indy 4 news.
http://www.indyfan.com/articles/oldnews.html
Reading it is no longer a sad ordeal.

[Finn]

I was going to suggest that the game may have been more Alien themed. Well, IM's final chapter was very alien themed, and now when I'm looking at it from a certain angle, I can actually see some homages paid to Saucer Men even though IM's built in more like a traditional adventure. Certain themes are there that could have made it into game straight from Stuart's scrapped script.

Who knows, possibly the game plays a bigger role in the events taking in place in the end of the 90s than we can guess. Barwood penned out a plot idea he meant for this new game, but Lucas got excited and thought that they could in fact use it for an actual movie. So they pen out a new story for the game (with some borrowed elements from Saucer Men)... yet for one reason or another, the movie never gets greenlit.
"Oh well, at least we gave them the game. Better than nothing."

Stretching it, I know... but speculation is always fun.

[Dr.Sartorius]

I wonder if this "controversial" element Lucas was talking about was relating to the fans or to the world in general. If its the latter then I'd agree with the people who think it has to do with Islam.

[JK_Antwon]

Thank you so much for every one that added such interesting stuff. This was a fun read to see the devolpment of indy 4. I had no idea all that was going on back then! Thanks again!:up:

[Moedred]

Here's Indy news from Corona (http://web.archive.org/web/20021212193905/www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/indy4A.html), 1996-1998. I weeded out the fan script rumors, but some questionable elements (who the heck is Drew Babcock?) remain.
Indiana Jones 4
First Archive Scoops Pre-1999:
(February, 1996 - September 20, 1998)
February, 1996... The Lucasfilm club reports that screenwriter Jeffrey Boam has handed in a treatment that Lucas liked, and Spielberg and Ford are currently looking it over. The script may feature the return of some of the previous leading ladies of the trilogy: Kate Capshaw was interviewed by Parade magazine that all three actresses are lobbying to be in the show, and word is that Karen Allen's character of Marion figures in the Boam script. Boam is working on a second draft.
March, 1996... Boam's second draft is in Lucasfilm's hands, reports producer Rick McCallum.
July 18, 1996... A unconfirmed 'source' at Paramount tells us that the script leaked was indeed the real draft by Jeffrey Boam, and that Lucasfilm wants to 'test the waters'. However, new ideas such as the search for the Garden of Eden and a different rival college named 'Professor Conrad' are mentioned - which aren't in the Sons of Darkness Internet script.
July 22, 1996... Drew Babcock, a freelance writer for film and television at the Washington Post writes to us to tell of a recent interview with Steven Spielberg. One answer he could not be too specific about was the next Indiana Jones film. Spielberg may or may not direct it depending on his schedule at DreamWorks. However Speilberg said any ideas of the lost city of Atlantis have not been a part of the script process. He also did say that the movie may have an ancient biblical element. When asked what kind, Spielberg said something 'to do with Adam and Eve'. Babcock was interested, and decided to pursue it further - a source at Paramount told him the title 'Indiana Jones and the Garden of Life' is being tossed around.
September 3, 1996... On August 18th, Steve Sansweet (a Lucasfilm representative) said at a science fiction convention that Lucas, Spielberg, and Ford had recently agreed on a script. They are now just waiting to schedule filming. Sansweet said it would probably happen after 1999-2000. However, nothing's been released to the mainstream press yet.
January 28, 1997... At the Fangoria Weekend Of Horrors Convention (held in Chicago, August '96) Lucasfilm rep Steve Sansweet confirmed that Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford had all approved the latest (at that time) draft of the Indy IV script. "At this time [Indy 4 is] as close to being a reality as its ever been, and not just a rumor," Sansweet said. He then went on to drop a few hints as to the particulars of the plot. Sansweet hinted that Sean Connery was going to return, and that the film would "probably" be filmed in 1998 for a 1999 release date. Sansweet cited the busy schedule of all three Indy creators as being the key factor in the way of Indiana Jones' return.
July 6, 1997... According to this person's friend who's a computer animator working at ILM, the next Indy film won't feature an evil brother - just that it's got something to do with religion.
July 22, 1997... According to this fellow who heard it straight from the mouth of Steve Sansweet, Lucas, Spielberg and Ford have agreed upon the script. Now all that remains is scheduling the time for the three to collaborate on the film.
September 9, 1997... Here are a couple of new strong rumors to toss on the ol' Indy pile. If this keeps up the page'll begin to look like the present James Bond page...
"While I was managing a movie theater here in Moscow, Idaho, one of my employees told me about a local resident (a friend of her father's) who was approached by someone connected with Spielberg and the Indiana Jones IV development team.
"This resident (who I am acquainted with; a friend of my family as well) is a minister and theologist. He recently took a trip back east for biblical research, and became involved with a study of Genesis.
"So, somewhere along the line, someone connected with Indiana Jones IV heard about his studies and asked him to participate in fact-checking and historical accuracy with Indy Jones IV. He mentioned to my employee that they sent him a completed script to be checked for biblical truth and reverancy. He read the script and gave it his personal seal of approval.
"He mentioned that the script dealt with the Garden of Eden, and its discovery by Indiana Jones. He said that it was extremely religous in its tone, and that it played with some of the same elements as Raiders of the Lost Ark. He also said that the script was only a 'possibility,' one of several possible ideas for Indy IV. He said it was very exciting and would play well as a film.
"I would have to rate this scoop as extremely reliable; I know this minister and theologist personally. I have no doubts as to the accuracy of this story." We'd love to be able to confirm the existence of multiple Indy 4 scripts and/or proposals besides the older (and already passed-by) ones.
January 14, 1998... This scooper claims to have heard from an inside source in DreamWorks that there are some 'hard' facts established for what will become the nest Indy picture. The scooper claims that the next film will be set after World War Two, and that Indy will have a wife and a daughter and possibly other family members. Sean Connery is planned to return as Indy's Dad. The casting would be finished by March, and so the scooper is assuming something official will be heard around then.
May 5, 1998... "This movie won't be getting made anytime soon, if at all," our mysterious scoop informant whispers in our ear. "While one of Paramount's big-wish films, Harrison Ford nor Steven Spielberg like the scripts that have been turned in. Jeffrey Boam's latest surrounded the post-WWII recovery of a Nazi sub, the discovery of some Dead Sea Scrolls, a metatronic (meaning: the power of God appearing to take you away physically) device, and Indy's family. The evil brother storyline isn't anywhere to be found, as in Jeb Stuart's treatment. Indy's dad's involved, but not to the extent of INDY 3 -- he's more comic relief in the vein of Marcus Brody. Right now, with Harrison getting older, don't hold your breath for this one." And the Indy fans 'round the world let out a collective sigh...
September 20, 1998... Could this be the news we've all been waiting for? "I saw a Dreamwatch magazine, Sept. cover#48, that had a one page article on Jurassic Park 3 & Indy 4. It states that Jeffrey Boam script for Indy 4 has been shelved. And that Spielberg supposedly has approached Raiders co-writer Lawrence Kasdan to come up with a story.
"Whether this is true is speculative (this much is from the mag). It seems everywhere I've been on the web, knows that Jeffrey Boam has been the only writer ever approached to do Indy 4's story. He has stated that his initial treatment 4-5 yrs ago has never been acknowledged by Lucas etc. Spielberg from what I've read, has always stated that he has a general story idea for Indy 4 right now. Seems he has a heavy involvement with this one in terms of creativity. I personally don't know what to believe."

[Salacious]

Looks like its just been about the McGuffin the whole time. Then Lucas focused on the prequels and now here we are.

[Moedred]

A little more good stuff from Corona circa 1999. The rest is on theRaider.
February 24, 1999... "A week ago from last Friday, Steven Spielberg was interviewed on the show Access Hollywood, where he was attending a critics ceremony. Spielberg was asked questions about the success of SPR, and then he was asked about his pal Lucas' upcoming Star Wars prequel. He mentioned that he has seen it (what there was of it) and that he couldn't wait until he can see it again, in full.
"The reporter also asked Steven Spielberg what his next film is, and Spielberg said that this coming fall season he hopes to start filming Minority Report with Tom Cruise.
"And, then, the reporter asked Spielberg if there is going to be another Indiana Jones film. Spielberg responded that there is going to be another film, and that he hopes to have it out in theaters at no later than the summer of 2001."
May 4, 1999... During last weekend's Star Wars Celebration, producer Rick McCallum answered a fan's question about the stuck-in-development-hell Indy 4 movie. McCallum said that there's a script that Lucas, Spielberg and Ford are all excited about but unfortunately McCallum can't see the start of the movie for at least another four to five years.
There was? Long before Darabont? By who and about what?

[Avilos]

Spielberg has been incredibly busy in the last decade. Heck, just in the last few years. Maybe I am wrong but I think he was never particularly focused on another Indy movie until the version that was really made.

He always has a number of potential films in development. Indy IV was always in the mix but if it was not ready, for whatever reasons, he just moved on to one of those other options. It was not until 2006 that he took a year off that I KNEW filming would start following that. It just seemed he finally focused on it over any other projects.

[Rivers]

I saved all the Indy news articals I came across from my local paper dating back to 1993. GAWWWD I cant believe I have been following and waiting for this movie for 15 years now!!!! Below is the earliest record of an Indy 4 movie report I have seen anywhere... I even remember Freaking out and being so excited when I saw this artical that day!!!! Didnt realize I would be waiting 15 years for this very first artical to come full cirlce...

The Calgary Sun Wednesday July 28, 1993
Movie Scoop!
Indiana Jones may be coming out of retirement.
Harrison Ford, who played the fearless adventurer in Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple Of Doom and The Last Crusade just told Sun movie critic Louis B Hobson that " Steven Spielberg and I have been talking. We have the nub of an idea for another Indiana Jones adventure. Nothing has been inked yet, but we are talking."
Spielberg wasn't able to talk Ford into playing the archeologist in Jurassic Park, so lets hope he has better luck with this new Indiana Jones project.
Ford turned down the role Sam Neil plays in Jurassic Park- as did William Hurt and Mel Gibson.
Instead, Ford chose to resurrect Dr Richard Kimble, the role David Jansen made famous in TV's The Fugitive. The feature film of that same name, starring Ford opens here Aug 6

[Moedred]

Rivers, that's excellent, thanks! It reinforces my suspicion that all through the 1990's when Lucas was saying "skull" the other two were saying more than "no," they were saying "do X instead." And if the beards are equal partners, Lucas should allow Spielberg to do his idea next. From Vanity Fair (http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/02/spielberg_qanda200802):
I quite liked Frank’s script, but George and I had a disagreement over it, and George and I have always agreed to agree. So when we take each other’s temperatures, if I really am passionate about something, George will give in to me, and if George is really passionate about something, I’ll pretty much go his way. And in this case George was passionate that this was not the story he wanted to tell at this point in the Indiana Jones saga.

[isaac_z]

interesting idea moedred...

[Avilos]

A lot of the pressure on the story for the 4th film has been on the wait since the last, which grew and as time went by. Also on the assumption that it would be the very last one. So the big 3 created high bench mark for themselves to meet. If this was just going to have been another one made in the 90s and a 5th a few years later they may have not been so picky.

But now that they actually made another, and everyone seems to enjoyed themselves, the pressure is gone. So maybe they will make another one. A lot of ideas were developed for this "last film". It would not take long for them to get ideas for the next.

The problem is still there though even if delayed. What is the last Indiana Jones movie going to be about. If not KotCS what? Does it really matter? Maybe the last one does not have to have an particular significance story wise. Just be of the usual quality. If that is the case, they should continue.

[bergstrom]

Remember the deal with paramount? Raiders PLUS 4, yes 4 sequels.

Am I right thre? If so, shouldn't we be getting another one and if not, isn't that breach of contract, blah blah... (george, u listening???)

Berg

[Avilos]

Remember the deal with paramount? Raiders PLUS 4, yes 4 sequels.

Am I right thre? If so, shouldn't we be getting another one and if not, isn't that breach of contract, blah blah... (george, u listening???)

Berg

I highly doubt that old deal would still be in effect. A couple years ago there was questions whether Paramount would even distribute Indy IV at all.

[No Ticket]

But now that they actually made another, and everyone seems to enjoyed themselves, the pressure is gone. So maybe they will make another one. A lot of ideas were developed for this "last film". It would not take long for them to get ideas for the next.

The problem is still there though even if delayed. What is the last Indiana Jones movie going to be about. If not KotCS what? Does it really matter? Maybe the last one does not have to have an particular significance story wise. Just be of the usual quality. If that is the case, they should continue.

I think that there most likely won't be another. You never know, but I don't see it happening. Ford is 65 now, by the time they got around to filming it, he'd probably be 67.

And that's not the biggest problem. The biggest problem has to do with finding another interesting MacGuffin. Lucas said himself that at first he couldn't think of anything worth doing.

[Moedred]

Hmm, look what happens when I shuffle verifiable quotes (http://raven.theraider.net/showthread.php?t=14888) chronologically with Corona news, in blue:
1993
Ford: “Steven Spielberg and I have been talking. We have the nub of an idea for another Indiana Jones adventure.”
1995*
Lucas: ''Harrison said, 'No way am I being in a Steve Spielberg movie like [Saucer Men].' And Steven said, 'I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.'''
1996
Boam has handed in a treatment that Lucas liked, and Spielberg and Ford are currently looking it over.
The search for the Garden of Eden and a different rival college named 'Professor Conrad' are mentioned.
The movie may have an ancient biblical element. When asked what kind, Spielberg said something 'to do with Adam and Eve'.
Lucas, Spielberg, and Ford had recently agreed on a script.
1997*
Lucas: "We ended up putting the atom bomb scene that Jeff Boam and I had in the middle at the head of the movie."
Lucas: "Once we put Marion in the movie and knew they were going to be reunited, we first thought there should be a daughter Indy didn't know about. She was going to be 13, a little spitfire."
1998
The next film will be set after World War Two, and that Indy will have a wife and a daughter and possibly other family members.
Harrison Ford nor Steven Spielberg like the scripts that have been turned in. Jeffrey Boam's latest surrounded the post-WWII recovery of a Nazi sub, the discovery of some Dead Sea Scrolls, a metatronic (meaning: the power of God appearing to take you away physically) device, and Indy's family.
Spielberg from what I've read, has always stated that he has a general story idea for Indy 4.
1999
McCallum said that there's a script that Lucas, Spielberg and Ford are all excited about.
2000*
Spielberg: "George and I had put a couple of ideas into the works, we had toyed around with a couple of conceptual notions, but we really hadn't thrown ourselves body and soul into the process."
Ford: "The three of us never agreed on one of the notions that were advanced over the years."
Lucas: "They said, can't we do it with Nazis hiding in Argentina?"
Lucas: "They said, can't we do it with a different McGuffin? Can't we do this?" and I said "No". So we pottered around with that for a couple of years.”
2002*
Lucas: "Then Harrison really wanted to do it and Steve said, "Okay". I said, "We'll have to go back to that original MacGuffin and take out the offending parts of it and we'll still use that area of the supernatural to deal with it."
2005
Lucas: “We've been through a number of scripts--six or eight scripts. Six scripts, two rewrites.”
2007
Lucas: “We’ve been through lots of different versions in the last 14 years that I’ve been working on the script, with five different writers.”
2008
Lucas: "There were six scripts written for that film and [Darabont's] was number four.”
Lucas: "In the beginning it was a daughter he didn't know about... David revisited the idea as a son."

[Dene]

Lucas: "There were six scripts written for that film and [Darabont's] was number four.”Jeb Stuart; Jeffrey Boam; Frank Darabont; Jeff Nathanson; David Koepp. Who's the other?

[TheMutt92]

Jeb Stuart; Jeffrey Boam; Frank Darabont; Jeff Nathanson; David Koepp. Who's the other?

M. Night Shymalan I believe.

[The Man]

M. Night Shymalan I believe.

There's some confusion as to whether Night actually wrote anything, though he was certainly approached. He may have merely pitched...

[Moedred]

Jeb Stuart; Jeffrey Boam; Frank Darabont; Jeff Nathanson; David Koepp. Who's the other?
Lucas said six scripts, not six people. Before Nathanson and Koepp, he said "six scripts, two rewrites." This could mean "six scripts plus two rewrites" or "six scripts, two of which were rewrites." The latter is consistent with his other quotes. What defines a rewrite I'm not sure. Koepp alone wrote thirty (http://raven.theraider.net/showpost.php?p=362149) drafts. There is no record of other writers. Shyamalan was never hired and doesn't work for free. So I suspect one of the five (probably Boam) turned in two competely different scripts, maybe even with different MacGuffins.

[Moedred]

Found this post while digging to the bottom of the internet. September 1993 (http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.starwars/browse_thread/thread/c5b2c81291b6c34d):
the script reportedly, originates from the Young Indy show...
What would need to be changed are the dates (obviously) and some settings (i.e. adding Nazi's). But the basic essence of the story (i.e. the object Indy has to discover) and the research that entails would have already been done. Put it this way, Lucas (according to USA Today) recognized that one of his scripts had alot of potential, and that's when he sought out Spielberg and Ford.
I first heard about Harrison Ford's interest in another Indy movie back in early August on the radio.
And here's a murmur from 1994 (http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.starwars/browse_thread/thread/42699b0950d02d56/).

[sandiegojones]

Well, Lucas always said he had a Young Indy script with a crystal skull which was also supposed to have a young Belloq, but the series was cancelled. I think the skull idea was around for a good 10 years at least. Whether or not it was an alien skull is unknown, but I think Lucas was adamant that they go that direction for the film since it was the 1950's.

I'm intersted in what happens between 2008 to whenever Indy V is made!

[Moedred]

I'm guessing this was moments after they all got excited about Indy 4 again backstage at Ford's AFI award. The February 2000 Access Hollywood video is gone from the Indyfan site, but here's a transcript (http://web.archive.org/web/20000916173357/www.sevaan.com/indianajones/indy4.shtml).
Pat O'Brien: What about Indy 4?
Ford: Ask him (points to George Lucas), just you light a fire under his ass and we'll get it done. (laughs)
Pat O'Brien: How anxious are you to do it?
Ford: I'm that anxious. I'll... I'll get the match for you (smiles).
(Pat O'Brien movies over to George Lucas to talk to him)
Pat O'Brien: Any word on Indy 4? He told me to light a fire under your ... uh he didn't say butt, but uh...
George Lucas: Uh, I think we're all busy (laughs)
Pat O'Brien: Where is that project right now?
George Lucas: Uh, we got a script on it. And its really a matter of getting everybody together to the same... same place and the same time to do it.

[Moedred]

More shovelfuls, assembled from sites like this (http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/ca2indy/Indy4.html) and this (http://ijw.8m.com/indy_iv.html) and others only in the archive. What I'd really like to reread is upcomingmovies.com/indy4 but it's long gone and unarchived. How does one get there, if one can? Ask Greg Dean Schmitz personally?
1995: Rick McCallum: "We just recieved the first draft of the script from Jeffrey Boam which everybody loves. Steven Spielberg has made some changes, and George has a few more changes to do. The script will next go to Harrison Ford for approval. Then it's up to the gods to determine when George, Steven, and Harrison's schedules will coincide. The project is definitely alive, and it's a good script. Jeffery really came through for us."
1996: Rick McCallum: “We got the last draft about two weeks ago from Jeffrey Boam. We're all reviewing it now. It's going to be a fun movie that will have a whole different take to it."
July 3 1998: Indy IV has been under work for almost 4 months. Spielberg who is writing the script with Lawerence Kasdan is trying to keep the project top secret.
July 4 1998: Spielberg: "The Indiana Jones 4 hat is halfway on my head," Spielberg reveals. "I have the plot worked out."
May 14 1999: Cinescape contributor, Cindy Pearlman, recently spoke with Rick McCallum. "We finished the script about three years ago. Everybody loves it," reveals McCallum. He went on to say that the script they had did not connect well with word from Steven Spielberg saying he had just written a script for the film!
June 7 1999: In an interview with Starlog, reported on by Cinescape Insider, McCallum reveals that Jeffrey Boam is the author of the Indy IV script.
July 14 1999: AICN - London press conference where Rick said the following about Indy IV: "We’ve got a fantastic script, and everyone really wants to do it… Watch the stars, and watch the desert."
August 15 1999: AICN - Spielberg: “We've got about three scripts that we're choosing from at this point." To this, I asked if one was written by Jeffrey Boam, and he smiled, I guess because he could tell I was somewhat of a fan to know who Boam was. Anyway, he said yes one is by him.
August 31 1999: London Sunday Express was interviewing Producer Rick McCallum who said "We actually finished work on the script three years ago.”
October 29 1999: From what one of my sources tells me, Spielberg said Indy-4 would have another biblical theme to it. He then went on to say that the "powers that be" thought a story about the Garden of Eden would be a good plot. So far, a script is in the process of being finished up, but a long treatment does exist. It is about Indy and his quest for the Cherubim's Flaming Sword that protects the garden. Indy would be killed in the next film trying to save the world because it will be the last Indy film ever. They want him to go out with a bang.
I have learned to take with a grain of salt McCallum's insistence that everyone loved the script.

[Moedred]

A helpful guide, cribbed by Steven Awalt from the Complete Making Of book.

George Lucas "draft" (outline?)
Story conferences, September 20-24, 1993

Jeb Stuart
Lucas/Stuart story conferences, October 8, 1993
First Draft, "Saucer Men from Mars," May 24, 1994
Script discussions, August, September, 1994
Revised Draft, February 20, 1995

Jeffrey Boam
First Draft (early-mid 1995?)
Second Draft (early-mid 1995?)
Third Draft, December 18, 1995 ("retyped" March 1996. Revisions?)

Story conferences, Lucas and Spielberg only, December 2001/June 2002 (two sessions)

Frank Darabont
Story conferences, July 2002 (multiple sessions)
Lucas outline for Darabont, July 31
First draft, "City of Gods," May 27, 2003
Second draft, (mid-2003)
Third draft, November 4, 2003
Lucas revision of Darabont drafts, early 2004, retitled "Phantom City of the Gods."

Jeff Nathanson
August 2005, May 2005 story conferences
First Nathanson draft (revision of Lucas' revision of Darabont), retitled "Atomic Ants," Lucas revises Nathanson
Second Draft, November 2005
Third Draft, December 2005

David Koepp
First draft, July 28, 2006, retitled "Destroyer of Worlds."
First draft revisions, October 2006, locked down November/December 2006
Final shooting script, October 2007, "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

[Moedred]

For digging, these are the best sites, in order:
Corona (http://web.archive.org/web/20021212193905/www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/indy4A.html), 1996-1998
Corona (http://web.archive.org/web/20021201170346/www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/indy4.html), 1998-2002
Indyfan (http://www.indyfan.com/articles/oldnews.html), 1996-2006
Cinescape (http://web.archive.org/web/20000709155316/http://www.cinescape.com/links/mvindianajones4nr.html), 1998-2000
Bungalow (http://web.archive.org/web/20031205113119/http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Bungalow/3572/indy-news.html), 1998-2000
ign (http://movies.ign.com/objects/033/033714.html), 2000-2008
Upcomingmovies (http://web.archive.org/web/20040913085111/movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808404509), 2000-2004
Indy-europe (http://web.archive.org/web/20010114035100/www.indy-europe.de/oldnews2.htm), 1998-2000

Here are the rest:
http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/ca2indy/Indy4.html
http://ijw.8m.com/indy_iv.html
http://www.indy-net.co.uk/articles.php?article_id=22
http://web.archive.org/web/20001109031300/www.movieheadlines.net/indy/default.php3
http://web.archive.org/web/20020124071039/www.comingsoon.net/movies/i/indy4.php
http://web.archive.org/web/20000916173357/www.sevaan.com/indianajones/indy4.shtml
http://web.archive.org/web/20000824001311/stud1.tuwien.ac.at/~e9125985/IJC/
http://web.archive.org/web/19991007022743/http://lavender.fortunecity.com/dusk/429/
http://web.archive.org/web/19990222132847/www.indy4.com/news.html
http://web.archive.org/web/19990204023642/darkhorizons.com/news2/98indx1.htm

[Moedred]

Koepp's script mentions "previous drafts by Jeff Nathanson, Frank Darabont, George Lucas, Jeb Stuart." Boam's name is curiously absent, and Lucas the writer? It would clarify his mention of "working on the script with five different writers" resulting in "six scripts written for that film." His would be number three, I'm guessing from about 2002.

But how many scripts written not for that film? The beards still have some idiosyncratic 1998 and 1999 quotes (http://moedred.livejournal.com/6941.html) to explain...

[Moedred]

Finally access the wonder that is Nexis! I only wish I had searched the 90's writers individually (Stuart, Boam... Kasdan?) since Boam is the leakiest. Some quote you've seen. Note that from 1990 to 1992, Indy 4 was DOA. Then everyone hated Stuart's script.
1990 July 27 – USA Today
Ford: “I’ve always said that I was too old. But the truth is, I think Steven is too old.”

1992 Feb 18 – Toronto Star
Lucas: “There probably won’t be another Indiana Jones movie. I’ve burned out on writing action-adventure. I can’t get Indy in any more jeopardy and get him out again. …unless I get inspired again, which I doubt is going to happen, we’ve seen the end of the features.”

1992 Feb 28 – USA Today
Lucas: “I couldn’t go back and do another Indiana Jones feature again. I just wouldn’t be interested.”

1993 Aug 15 – Sunday Herald
Ford: “We (Spielberg) have the nub of an idea for another Indiana Jones movie. I don’t want to get ahead of anything. Let’s just see how it works out.”

1993 Sept 29 – Ottawa Citizen
Lucas also told Variety in a recent interview that he plans to produce another Indiana Jones feature.

1994 July 21 – Toronto Sun
Ford: “The last one took five years to get made. We’re going after the Rotarians this time.”

1994 July 29 – Ottawa Citizen
Ford [Entertainment Tonight]: “We’re wrestling with a script right now. Hopefully we’ll get it together soon.”

1994 Aug 15 – The Herald (Glasgow)
Ford: “Yes, there may be another Indiana Jones, but they’ve only been working on the script for a year and a half. The last one took five years.”

1994 Oct 20 – USA Today
Lucas: “They both wanted to do more. But I didn’t want to do them. I’m the one who has to think them up and I was tired of doing those action films. I just burned out on them basically.”

1995 June 13 – Hamilton Spectator Ontario
Speilberg: “If Indiana IV looks like it will just be good – and not great – we don’t want to do it.” They don’t have a script even approaching “good.” “Just might not happen.”

1995 Oct 18 – Variety
Boam: Steve Spielberg wants the pic to shoot here. Only one week will be on location, probably in Honduras. Russia had first been planned.

1996 – Ottawa Citizen
Ford: "There's no script, but we can always get to talk once there's a script. The transom's always open."

1997 March 30 – Sunday Age Melbourne
Ford: I’ve always said to Steven that if another script comes along I’d like to take a look. I still think there are things we could do with that character.”

1998 July 2– Chicago Sun Times
Spielberg: “The Indiana Jones 4 hat is halfway on my head. I have the plot worked out.”

1999 Sept 13 – Edmonton Sun
Kennedy: “ There is no Indiana Jones 4 in the works. We keep reading that there are people committed and there is a script. It simply is not true. We may talk about it, but never gone beyond the discussion stage.”

1999 Sept 19 – Sunday Mercury
Ford: “If I like it I’ll definitely do it. And no, it won’t have to have less action than the others.”

2000 Feb 8 – Bath Chronicle
Patricia McQueeney: “If there was a script they all loved, they would kill themselves to clear their schedules. But they can’t seem to get their heads together on a script they are all enthusiastic about.”

2000 Feb 27 – Sunday Mail
Ford: “We’re waiting for the script everyone is happy with, and George Lucas is elsewhere. Very little progress has been made, but Steven and I are ready.”

[Adventurer]

Haven't written in here since ages, but I thought this might me interesting.

Around and just before the Infernal Machine timeframe, Hal Barwood was on an interview spree about the new IJ game, and some questions arised about Fate of Atlantis and what had changed and all the new 3D, Action and so on. I can't remember how the question was phrased, but i'm pretty sure about the answer:
"Yeah. The storyline of Fate of Atlantis was, at an early timeframe, ought to be the Plot for the next Indiana Jones Movie. I talked to George, and he said that this Plot-idea will never make it to the Screen, so feel free to use it for your game.*
It stuck in my head since back then. Considering that Hal Barwood and George Lucas were friends or the like since their days at the University of Southern California, I find that quite reasonable.

Not reasonable to me, however, is that the Atlantis idea was rejected. All the time up till KOTCS, then giving up all hope, I thought this would be the natural choice:
1st Movie - Artefact.
2nd Movie - Stone.
3rd Movie - Cup.
4th Movie -A whole City.
Well, the three had another opinion, although I still think that there are numerous elements and ideas in KOTCS from FOA, far too many for just being coincidence.

Come to think of it, FOA was released in 1992. Given two years of development hell for FOA, this would put any "talk to George" speech around 1990, probably just right after Last Crusade was in the can. Interestingly, back then the big three said that there would be never another Indiana Jones movie. By reading probably too much between the lines, one can come to the conclusion that they abadoned the idea onyl because they agreed to not to make another one. By the time they changed their mind in the mid nineties, FOA was released and there was no going back. With a storyline laid out already and no one ever made a film after a computergame, this was a dead end.


*to those of you who never played the game (Spoiler ahead): FOA was basically about the origins of Greek civilization, derived from extremely advanced Atlantean technology, among other things used to enhance the human body to such a degree where humans became Godlike beings. This megalomania, by contrast, became the reason for the Atlantean rise and fall, ultimately leading to the destruction of Atlantis.

[Moedred]

I saved all the Indy news articles I came across from my local paper dating back to 1993.
The Calgary Sun Wednesday July 28, 1993
Rivers, could you scan an image of this 20-year-old article?
It's rare evidence of Ford and Spielberg working independently of Lucas...

[Udvarnoky]

I'm still fascinated by the fact that Lucasfilm operatives basically had to step in when Hal Barwood's early concept for Infernal Machine veered a little bit too close to the Indiana Jones 4 idea that George was working on. The best Barwood quote on this matter is conspicuously absent from this thread, and it comes from a TheRaider.net interview!

I chafed at the idea of doing another Jones game with Nazis. They seemed stale after much overuse. So I vaulted Jones forward into the cold war and set him against the Russians. Originally I wanted to have Jones go after flying saucers, but word came back to me from on high -- "don't go there." I wonder why not? So I kept the cold war, kept the Russians, but veered the prize away from UFOs toward Babylon and an imagined technological marvel hidden in the biblical Tower of Babel. Oh yeah, and I brought back Sophia as a CIA agent -- perfect!
The fact that the two men came up with the Soviets/aliens angle for Indy independently does kind of give lie to the idea, commonly insisted, that it's somehow an unnatural turn for the franchise or brings it to territory where it does not belong. Once you've made the context the 50s, certain elements (apparently) declare themselves.