Note: Before making this thread, I did a google cache search as well as an internal forum search for the terminology "Why Aliens" to see if a similar thread had been made. I couldn't find any thread. But if there is one, and I didn't notice it, simply link me to it or merge with this one. Thanks.
Anyway, on to the main topic.
Why did George Lucas jump so far ahead in time for Indy 4? I'm not talking about the final product that we got in 2008; I'm talking simply about the concept of the film. George first got the idea for doing a fourth Indiana Jones film while working with Harrison on the Mystery of the Blues episode of Young Indy in December 1992. By 1993-1994, scripts were being drafted. From what we know, all of the scripted ideas revolved around aliens, and were set in a time at least a decade after LC. The draft from March 1995 that surfaced online is set in 1949, for example, and George noted often he wanted a '50s setting.
My question is, why? Why did George never even CONSIDER any other idea, one that didn't involve aliens? In the early '90s, there were still PLENTY of non-alien paranormal storylines that hadn't been mined yet. Consider the Fate of Atlantis storyline or storylines of many of the Indy comics and novels and the storylines or macguffins of later Indy inspired films such as The Mummy and the Lara Croft films; All material which could've better fit an Indy film than aliens.
The early-mid '90s were a time when this field--the adventure/archaeology genre--belonged pretty much solely to Indiana Jones. A dozen different films could've been made in this period which might've been good, which wouldn't have had to deal with aliens. In the '90s, Harrison Ford was still young enough--in both years and age--to pull off being a "younger" Indy in a film set in the late late 30s or '40s. Spielberg was still a very vital director who still had a penchant for action, with Jurassic Park in 1993 and it's sequel in 1997.
The questions, then, are:
Why did George feel so strongly that ALIENS must be the focus of the next Indiana Jones film?
Why did George Lucas feel it necessary to jump ahead so many years in the Indy timeline, from LC in 1938 to the very late 40s/50s, despite Harrison still being relatively young and being a believable action star well into the '90s? Unless a series of prequels were made, having Indy 4 be set in the 50s--when the character was in his 50s-would sort of limit the character's ability to have future adventures
If Indy 4 had taken flight, if Steven and Harrison had agreed with George and the film was produced in the mid 90s (say around 1996 or so), do you think Lucas would've ever done the prequels? From what I've read it seems he only turned to working on the prequels after Steven and Harrison turned down his Indy 4 idea.
Anyway, on to the main topic.
Why did George Lucas jump so far ahead in time for Indy 4? I'm not talking about the final product that we got in 2008; I'm talking simply about the concept of the film. George first got the idea for doing a fourth Indiana Jones film while working with Harrison on the Mystery of the Blues episode of Young Indy in December 1992. By 1993-1994, scripts were being drafted. From what we know, all of the scripted ideas revolved around aliens, and were set in a time at least a decade after LC. The draft from March 1995 that surfaced online is set in 1949, for example, and George noted often he wanted a '50s setting.
My question is, why? Why did George never even CONSIDER any other idea, one that didn't involve aliens? In the early '90s, there were still PLENTY of non-alien paranormal storylines that hadn't been mined yet. Consider the Fate of Atlantis storyline or storylines of many of the Indy comics and novels and the storylines or macguffins of later Indy inspired films such as The Mummy and the Lara Croft films; All material which could've better fit an Indy film than aliens.
The early-mid '90s were a time when this field--the adventure/archaeology genre--belonged pretty much solely to Indiana Jones. A dozen different films could've been made in this period which might've been good, which wouldn't have had to deal with aliens. In the '90s, Harrison Ford was still young enough--in both years and age--to pull off being a "younger" Indy in a film set in the late late 30s or '40s. Spielberg was still a very vital director who still had a penchant for action, with Jurassic Park in 1993 and it's sequel in 1997.
The questions, then, are:
Why did George feel so strongly that ALIENS must be the focus of the next Indiana Jones film?
Why did George Lucas feel it necessary to jump ahead so many years in the Indy timeline, from LC in 1938 to the very late 40s/50s, despite Harrison still being relatively young and being a believable action star well into the '90s? Unless a series of prequels were made, having Indy 4 be set in the 50s--when the character was in his 50s-would sort of limit the character's ability to have future adventures
If Indy 4 had taken flight, if Steven and Harrison had agreed with George and the film was produced in the mid 90s (say around 1996 or so), do you think Lucas would've ever done the prequels? From what I've read it seems he only turned to working on the prequels after Steven and Harrison turned down his Indy 4 idea.