The Writing Process

This quote is from 2002 regarding the development of what would become KOTCS:

SPIELBERG: "That is happening. We have a writer, but I am not officially allowed to announce the writer's name until the trades get it."

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So, how exactly does this process work? How possible is it that Indy 5 is being diligently scribbled as we speak and we are just out of the loop? At what point do the trades pick it up?

Indy's brother said:

This quote is from 2002 regarding the development of what would become KOTCS:



So, how exactly does this process work? How possible is it that Indy 5 is being diligently scribbled as we speak and we are just out of the loop? At what point do the trades pick it up?

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It is entirely possible. However, all the mutterings thus far seem to indicate that they are some time off, if at all, naming a scriptwriter (unfortunately).

Given the infamous tossing of the Darabont draft, you can't help but wonder if Spielberg is a tad too wary of the Lucas vagaries to speak optimistically* of a fifth.





*At least publicly...

Indy's brother said:

So, how exactly does this process work? How possible is it that Indy 5 is being diligently scribbled as we speak and we are just out of the loop? At what point do the trades pick it up?

Click to expand...

The trades pick it up usually at the time of the official signing of the contract with the studio or corporate entity... in this case Lucasfilm Ltd.

And to answer your other question, no writing is done at all until contracts are signed per WGA rules. So there was never any secret writing going on unless Lucas jotted something down on his yellow note tablet. The most one can deliver is a pitch without a contract, but that would not be the case since George is the one who comes up with the story...
...however all that is in doubt since George has retired. But I don't think anyone is taking any pitches from writers any time soon. Especially since there is that Paramount element and it's been publicly declared that Indiana Jones is on the back burner.

I know it's an old thread but it was an interesting question. Hope that clears the air.