How expensive is development hell?

Moedred

Administrator
Staff member
After a decade or more of "development hell" for Indy 4, as Lucas calls it, how much has been spent by Lucas, Lucasfilm, Paramount, et al? This includes writers, location scouting, budget projections, marketing meetings, and merchandise negotiations (hopefully this is where the Lucas team gets wined and dined). I know movie studios use a lot of creative accounting, but I'm going to guess... $20 million. Including a few mil to M. Night Shyamalan, just for his time.
 

Finn

Moderator
Staff member
Now there's actually one argument for Indy IV eventually getting made. Wonder how many has ever considered how much has already been gone with the wind if this movie goes never past pre-production.

Not that Lucas would have lack of bills in his pocket, though...
 

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
More and more, screenplays are optioned against the money a film makes in the thearter. You'll see a screenplay sell for "low six figures against high seven", so that if it gets made, then the screenwriter will make some dough if it shows well.

So lets just say each screenplay was paid 1 million dollars. (a very high mark)

That's 1 to M.Shy (rumored), 1 to Nathanson, 1 to Beatty (rumored), 1 to Darabont, and well through 1 to each of the fan fiction scripts that have made it (4). That's about eight million in screenwriting fees, if I was writing the checks. We also have the location scouts at another million between plane fare, salaries, hotels, and the like. But that is about all I know of fees that would have been paid out before greenlighting the film.
 

Moedred

Administrator
Staff member
Pale Horse-- what's this about four "fan fiction scripts that have made it?" When? How? Who?
 

roundshort

Active member
careful abotu asking pale horse anything, his sources are, well questionable at best! According to him the film is done on dvd, and they are working on INDY 5
 

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
Moedred said:
Pale Horse-- what's this about four "fan fiction scripts that have made it?" When? How? Who?

Monkey King
Sword of Arthur
Saucerman from Mars
Realm of the Dead

Made it, in terms of creating an interest in the development of Indy 4. To suggest that any screenplay could garner 1 million, is extreme, but if we are looking at a budget for development, it's worth throwing them into the mix.
 

Finn

Moderator
Staff member
Hey man, Monkey King's no fanfic. This little Chris Columbus brainchild was seriously nominated to be Indy III. And neither is Saucermen to that extent...

Also you left Sons of Darkness out of the list.
 

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
Fraud?? I thought this thread fell under the guise of Speculation....

So we can take Saucerman out, and put in Sons of Darkness....still can't see more than maybe 10 million at the highest spent on the film prior to greenlight. Even in 13 years.
 

roundshort

Active member
He attened a wine dinner I had once, but although we talked about wine, I never really had a chance (it would have been too awkard) to talk to him about Indy. I tell him what a great movie it was.
 

qwerty

New member
Tell me roundshort how exectly are you connected with the Hollywood world? You seem to know, or at least you have met, some preaty interesting people.
How come that you are not even trying to get into the Indy 4 team?
 

roundshort

Active member
qwerty said:
Tell me roundshort how exectly are you connected with the Hollywood world? You seem to know, or at least you have met, some preaty interesting people.
How come that you are not even trying to get into the Indy 4 team?


I sell very expensive wine to very rich people. We all know how much Harrison Ford, Lulcas, Spielberg and Capshaw LOVE Napa wine, to be honest, my relationship is built on not bothering or asking too many questions. ask my what they like in Cabernet, and we can talk, or what type of gin Harrison likes in a martini, but if I was an ankle bitter, well by by pay check!
 

qwerty

New member
Finn said:
And I thought Americanos don't understand sarcasm.

Hey Finn what sarcasm are you talking about?

Roundshort when you say expensive, how expensive those wines are per botle? I do drink wine, but those wines are so cheap that you probably do not eve consider them as wines. What is the secret to the goood wine?
 

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
temple of john said:
So Pale Horse whats the deal? According to your earlier reports, I should be able to get Indy 4 on DVD by now. Hell, it probably should be on TBS by now. ****, I must have missed everything. ;)


Just because you have no concept of a filming schedule or how long it takes to digitally render out every wrinkle of Harrisons face, doesn't mean I even implied the film would be completed before the end of the year. It's far more complacted then that.

eeesh
 

qwerty

New member
Does anybody realy know when will the shooting start? For me it seems that it is nowhere close but then again I do not know much.
 

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
temple of john said:
Okay I may not know every nuance that goes into making a film, I'll give you that. What is the deal though? I keep coming back to the same basic question. There is no shame in saying "I have no ****ing idea!!". Come on Pale Horse. Sue we are going to have a little fun with you and bust your balls when you say things like "Indy 4 is filming in 4 weeks".


Don't get so defensive, why must the ball busting only go one way? :)

go back and reread my post, blush at your ignorance, and be on your merry way for Christmas. Filming will be completed near Valentines Day. And if you don't believe me, go ask Aaron H. :D
 

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
temple of john said:
Valentines Day? Dude are you smoking rock? Are you serious? I know this great rehab, they can help you. Okay, okay, I'll play along...what "sources" have told you filming will be complete by Valentines Day?

12 week filming schedule. (it would have been earlier, but Harrison Ford had to have knee replacement surgery, and I was off a couple of weeks from my Original Post Here)
 
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