Why has it taken so long?

'allo

I've been thinking why would it have taken 16 years when Indy IV is eventuelly released for it to be made? Now i can understand such long delays in the case of epic series such as Star Wars that are not dependant on a cast of characters, but why has it taken so long for a sequel to happen for Indy who at the end of the day is just an action hero?

And why after so long is the unprecedented step of making another installment happening now?

I say that because of that I'll enjoy it more.

Tough question. But I'm gonna try and speculate an answer. Let's see, Indy and the LC just wraps up. The studio's are celebrating another success. Harrison Ford goes on to sign a contract based on the success of a "submarine movie" he had previously turned down, and makes Patriot games and Clear and Present Danger.

Spielberg makes his attempt at 'mature films' and Lucas begins work on the Star Wars Prequels.

At this point, let's say two or even three years following LC someone mentions Indy IV. Since LC was still fairly fresh, I'm sure the trio would say "Let's keep it a trilogy". Even if Harry Ford was up to it, S.S. and G.L. would be working on other things 'new' to them and not want to return to familiar territory just yet.

Shoot ahead another 3 years and maybe the perculator starts perking. Another Indy? Maybe... just need a script and a decent story. A memo is sent out htrough the studios about a possible script search for a new Indy film. Spec scripts start piling in. We get Saucermen from mars, Garden of Life, and Law of One.

Meanwhile Lucas commisions his software company to come up with a few games.

Suddenly the fans start to whisper about rumors of a script search for Indy iv. It's not long before rumors turn and say that it's ALREADY IN PRODUCTION! News spreads like hot cakes all over the place. Fan fiction starts to appear all over the web. Unsupported casting claims and plot details surface all over the place.

Eventually it is realized by the filmmakers that the money potential for the Indy franchise is too great to turn down. Indy gets thrown onto a schedule. Now heat is turned up a bit and specific writers are asked to provide scripts... Shyamalan, Columbus, then finally, Darabont.

And now Darabonts done the only COLLABORATED effort between him Lucas and Spielberg. Hopefully the say, "This is it!!"

PS. Moderators, the real history behind the Indy iv developement would be an awesome article for the site. Just FYI.

Is it best that KotCS is being released 19 years after LC, or would a shorter gap between movies have served the series best instead?


-G

IMO because Lucas does not take the Indy movies seriously, and they take a backseat to Star Wars for him.

They really should have done one or two in the 90's. I was all for Indy 4 over 10 years ago. I think they waited too long. That's not to say KOTCS won't be entertaining but it would have been nice to see some of Indy's adventures in the years in between.

Agent Spalko said:

They really should have done one or two in the 90's. I was all for Indy 4 over 10 years ago. I think they waited too long. That's not to say KOTCS won't be entertaining but it would have been nice to see some of Indy's adventures in the years in between.

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I would have love to have seen them also.
I thought Spielburg's and Lucas' orginal idea was to have as many Indiana Jones movies as there are James Bond films?

Maybe I am wrong, and I am getting Indy confused with something else.

Two words: Star Wars

blueseattle said:

Two words: Star Wars

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I don't blame Star Wars. According to all the artlicles Lucas had these ideas for the crystal skull around the same time as when he began writing the prequels in 1993 & 94. Since SS and HF had agreed to not do more Lucas moved onto Young Indy. Clearly Lucas wanted to continue the Indy adventures.

Why must everyone blame GL? I get it, Episode I was not the end all be all but let's stop with the blame and the hate.

I think Spielberg and Lucas both view Indy as a sideline they do just for fun- so it's unfair to lay the blame entirely at Lucas' feet. By all accounts, he was the first one ready to go back in the 90's. Unfortunately, everyone wasn't able to get on the same page.

I do feel that an Indy 4 in the 90's would've been subjected to far less scrutiny than KOTCS will be. But I also think- if 'Saucermen' is anything to go by- that it probably wouldn't have been as good.

Still, I would've loved an Indy 4 back around 94 or 95, and an Indy 5 and 6 over the course of the next decade.

I just think they genuinely believed that TLC was going to be the last one. Their original idea was just to make three movies, which is what Harrison was signed up for. Considering how huge both him and Spielberg were becoming, they probably figured three was all they'd be able to squeeze into their busy schedules.

I agree though, it would have been awesome to see a couple more made in the 90s. I would have GLADLY done without The Lost World or Hook if it meant Spielberg could use that time for more Indy movies.

I thought it was all Ford's fault. He wanted to go and be in Tom Clancy movies -- carve a Lucas-free name for himself and wow us all with his great range.

And as for bob's second question: why now? The $$$ -- so many of us had hoped for more for this fourth film. Basically, we wanted a ending film of equal accomplishment to be the bookend to Raiders, but now I think all the film is a vehicle to re-introduce the character. Maybe, hopefully, we'll get a fifth one in two or so years from now.

Joe Brody said:

I thought it was all Ford's fault. He wanted to go and be in Tom Clancy movies -- carve a Lucas-free name for himself and wow us all with his great range.

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This was true initially, but by `93, he had finally realized that action films were his bread and butter. Spielberg has also said he tried to drop as many hints as possible into Last Crusade, to make it feel like the final sequel. He definitely wanted to move on with his career. Then in the wake of Schindler's List, he said he couldn't make another (Indy) movie with "cartoon Nazis".

Anyway, Ford recently told Maxim he would do another Indy sequel "in a New York minute"- which is actually the exact same thing he started saying in `93. He added that it would be interesting to see Indy in the 1960s.

I do think they missed a great opportunity by not making a 1940s-era movie back during the 90s. They could've used the war as a backdrop, or centered it around Roswell. It could've been interesting to see an entire second trilogy unfold over the course of three new decades (40s, 50s, and 60s).

dont forget they also tried to please the fanbase with the "Young Indy Chronicles" (that were mostly crap imho) during the 1990s.

sandiegojones said:

I don't blame Star Wars. According to all the artlicles Lucas had these ideas for the crystal skull around the same time as when he began writing the prequels in 1993 & 94. Since SS and HF had agreed to not do more Lucas moved onto Young Indy. Clearly Lucas wanted to continue the Indy adventures.

Why must everyone blame GL? I get it, Episode I was not the end all be all but let's stop with the blame and the hate.

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Lucas says a lot of things.. and to me.. it's all BS.

Lucas lies. He said Star Wars was a 12 part saga, then said it was a 9 part saga, then said it was a 6 part saga, then made the Clone Wars and now the live-action series. Lucas cannot be trusted. Ever.

Agent Spalko said:

Lucas lies. He said Star Wars was a 12 part saga, then said it was a 9 part saga, then said it was a 6 part saga, then made the Clone Wars and now the live-action series. Lucas cannot be trusted. Ever.

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Like you've never went back on your word. Ever.

But Lucas lies to EVERYBODY.

Agent Spalko said:

But Lucas lies to EVERYBODY.

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I have no witty comeback.
Lonsome_Drifter is at a loss, folks!

sandiegojones said:

According to all the artlicles Lucas had these ideas for the crystal skull around the same time as when he began writing the prequels in 1993 & 94.

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I thought he just had the central idea then, but that the crystal skull element didn't arrive until much later. My understanding was that the skull was actually the key to making everything else fit into Indy's universe.