Genre: Action/Adventure.
Studio:
Paramount.
Production Company:
Lucasfilm.
Project Phase: Development Hell.
Who's In It:
Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones); rumored abound that Kevin Costner or Tom Selleck are 'in talks'
to play Indy's evil, lost-long brother - but they're about as tangible as
finding the current whereabouts of the Lost Ark.
Who's Making It:
Unknown. Presumably Steven Spielberg will direct, George Lucas as Executive Producer.
Premise: Unknown. Latest script treatment by Jeffrey Boam remains secret. See Scoop Feedback for additional developments.
Release Date: Unknown.
Comments: The long-awaited next chapter of Indy's adventures was never to be, if you remember the buzz from the Lucasfilm camp when Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was released back in the summer of 1989. Spielberg and Lucas wanted to cap the series off as a trilogy, and Harrison Ford's response to the media was that he wanted to focus more on less action-intensive films. Then, Ford signed up as Jack Ryan, went after the one-armed man to clear his name, and has starred in other big-budget action films. Perhaps he liked the adrenaline, or finally realized what made him the actor with the highest-grossing film record ever; whatever the case, he expressed his interest in donning Henry Jones Junior's fedora again.
And thus began development on Indiana Jones IV. Since the project became known back in 1994, it was decided that the only way any of the original creatorsa Jones IV ork on the fourth installment would be if they all agreed on the script (Ford, Lucas and Spielberg, that is). Screenwriter Jeffrey Boam has worked on a treatment, but the project is moving along at a snail's pace. Ford always has at least two projects in various stages of development, Lucas is working on developing the next Star Wars trilogy, and Spielberg is busy setting up his own studio as well as reprising directing chores on Jurassic Park 2. Perhaps Indy faces his biggest cliffhanger yet - whether he'll make it back to the silver screen again.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
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. [Scoop info reported by 'Drodelli'.]
March, 1996... Boam's second draft is in Lucasfilm's hands, reports producer Rick McCallum. [Scoop submitted by 'Drodelli'.]
May 6, 1996... A rumor has come to us that the script may involve the lost city of Atlantis. [Scoop sent in anonymously.]
May 7, 1996... Another rumor mentions that the film will be set after the Second World War to better explain the older Harrison Ford continuity. [This scoop also sent anonymously.]
May 16, 1996... I love this juicy anonymous scoop sent to CA. The storyline would be centered around the mythic UFO crash at Roswell, New Mexico back in 1947...and have the good Doctor Jones involved with the adventure (probably a pipe dream, but an interesting one nevertheless.) The scooper also reported that they heard Lucas will NOT utilize any Atlantis storylines in the new film. [Scoop reported anonymously.]
May 27, 1996... [Thanks to Chris Jespen for correcting our mis-information on the crash-site landing!]
May 29-31, 1996... Word first reached CA that the script for the new Indy film was up and running on a web site on May 29. People on the Internet caught wind of the alleged script by various postings on movie-related discussion groups, and word swiftly spread across the bandwidth. Is it the real thing?
The story of how the script surfaced on the 'net centers upon a mischievous courier. As the story goes, while delivering a package at Lucasfilm, the courier caught sight of the script sitting upon a desktop, and while the office staff's backs were turned...well, you get the picture. How the script got translated to the web site, and whether or not this site is the courier's remains unknown.
Opinions on whether or not the script is genuine remain varied. Some point to the proper formatting of the script as proof; others say the ending is far too 'over-the-top', akin to fan fiction material. And to throw a monkey wrench into the whole mess comes a new development: the URL for the script has been removed. The script is off the net now, and on the Internet groups, some people are claiming that Lucasfilm is directly responsible for the script's disappearance. [Scoop information supplied by 'carv', 'gte', J. D., 'm2nal' and an anonymous source.]
May 30, 1996... Brief snippets on the 'genuine' 'Indiana Jones and the Sons of Darkness' script seem to rule out the UFO storyline rumors. Instead, the mystical feature this time is Noah's Ark, and Indy is in a race to get to some sort of item on-board the relic. Returning characters include Sallah and (delightfully, if we may add) Karen Allen's character Marion from Raiders. At least two surprising developments to Indy's family occur. The nemesis-group this time around seems to be the Soviets, as the show takes place roughly around the 1950's. [Scoops mailed in by J.D. and an unnamed source.]
May 31, 1996... The script was apparently removed upon the "polite request" of its' authors. Understandably, if this is the true script for the new Indy film, Lucasfilm wants to keep it a secret. But perhaps the site webmaster planned to pull the script off-line one day after it was posted - crazier things have happened. [Scoop mailed in by an anonymous source.]
May 31, 1996... But of course, that's not the only Indy rumor. Some people are telling us that the real story for the fourth film involves Atlantis, and Kevin Costner will play Indiana's brother (no word if this is Montana or Conneticut Jones.) [Scoop info supplied anonymously and by Mike Rivas.]
June 5, 1996... Lucasfilm has apparently left a message on America-On-Line confirming the posted Internet script is indeed a forgery. Their reason for asking the removal of the material was copyright violation and profiting from a fake script (as John Flynn did with his bogus Fall of the Republic Star Wars script/treatment from the '80's.) [Scoop forwarded anonymously.]
June 26, 1996... An 'apprentice writer at a well-known production company' tells us that the script was indeed real and leaked on purpose. The Lucasfilm tent is supposed to be watching the Internet forum discussion groups and Web sites for reactions on the plot, characters and overall theme of the "Sons of Darkness" script. Now, however, script revisions are underway to bring back Sean Connery as Indy's father and tone down (if not remove entirely) the younger member of the Jones clan. The emphasis will also be increased on adding more drama to make the new script much more of "an intelligent man's action film." [Scoop submitted by the mysterious 'R'.]
June 30, 1996... 'R' tells us that the script is being squelched for the time being due to negative feedback by the netizens who've read the on-line script. As well, 'R' explains that Lucasfilm is looking for any feedback or commentary on the posted script. In the words of the scoop source, "you need to tell everyone you can to POST what they'd like to see. AND I MEAN EVERYONE. we've got little to go on here. PLEASE tell them to get rid of the kid. and push for connery. he hasn't been asked, but will be if you push for it. believe me, you have the power to make it so. what i've heard is steven wants to keep the child element, while harry wants something more realistic and befitting his age. george seems more concerned with what everyone else thinks (that's you guys)." If accurate, Lucasfilm is monitoring the Web to assess what Indy fans do and don't want to see. Speaking for myself, just make damn certain to keep Marion in there. [Scoop sent in by 'R'.]
July 2, 1996... Now another anonymous source tells us that the Indy script posted to the 'net wasn't by Boam, but is being considered by Lucasfilm to be bought. The story goes that the script in question has great moments and story ideas, and Lucasfilm can't use any similar ideas now that the script has used them - essentially, a lawsuit against Lucasfilm could be brought up. [Scoop sent in anonymously.]
July 7, 1996... Sean Connery has publically expressed interest in reprising his Henry Jones character for any new movies. [Scoop sent in by 'Sylvester'.]
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. [Scoop submitted by Jason Blackburn.]
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. [Scoop credit to Drew Babcock and his Resources of Plenty. Thanks Drew!]
July 25, 1996... We're told that the Sons of Darkness script is a fanfic script by a source close to Lucasfilm (who refers to it as Indiana Jones and the Sons of Plagiarism.) Additionally, Lucasfilm is going to press charges against the first fellow who posted the script. [Scoop provided by an anonymous source.]
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. [Scoop handed in by 'obrienm'.]
October 8, 1996... Apparantly Mark Hamill (that fellow who played someone named 'Luke Skywalker') talked to George Lucas about playing the villain in the next Indiana Jones film. [Scoop submitted by 'imho' and 'The Skywalker Connection'.]
October 22, 1996... Indiana Jones and the Sons of Darkness, the Internet-released Indy script, is a fake according to an interview with the script's author by Charles Deemer (avaliable at http://screenwriters.com/Deemer/.) The author, Robert Smith, placed the script on the 'net apparently as a last resort to gain the attention of Lucasfilm. Smith wrote the Sons of Darkness script a year previous, and had planned to submit it for consideration by Lucasfilm via an agent. However, his attempts fell apart: the agent eventually declined to submit the script to Lucasfilm and Smith's attempts to submit the material direct to Lucasfilm failed. The idea to post the script on the 'net came from John Flynn's 1984 treatment Fall of the Republic, a Star Wars fanfic 'treatment' for Chapter 3 of the Star Wars series. Flynn achieved a small level of fame from his endeavor, and Smith hoped his script would attract similar attention. In the bloody arena of unknown screenwriters, success only comes to those with incredible luck and/or incredible fortitude.
What arrived was a cease-and-desist notice from Lucasfilm a week after posting his script to the 'net. As one site was shut down, another site would go up. After five cease-and-desist notices and a visit from a law enforcement officer later, Smith ended the chase. Lucasfilm's franchise is safe, Smith has achieved his goal, and a lot of people got to read a new Indy adventure. Whether or not Lucasfilm is ready to continue Doctor Jones' adventures remains to be seen. [Scoop mailed in anonymously; information appeared on Charles Deemer's Screenwriters Resource site.]
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. [Scoop furnished by 'rvelasco'.]
June 3, 1997... A new Indiana Jones movie is said to be in development right now, and actors Harrison Ford, Sean Connery and Kevin Costner (who would play an evil Jones brother) are in talks...or so the hot gossip these days goes. So, you ask, how did the Costner rumor start? Is there any true to it??
We first heard of the new Costner rumor from an anonymous scooper. According to the individual, the showbiz column of the May 16th The Daily Mail reported the story. The Daily Mail is a newspaper published in England, and according to their story, the script is called The Sons of Darkness and will feature a long-lost evil Jones brother, to be played by Kevin Costner.
Of course, as CA readers know, The Sons of Darkness script is a work of fan fiction published last year on the 'net - and at that time Costner's name was linked to the project. Now, a year later, it seems that the spectre has come back to haunt the mainstream media, with many notable entertainment print journalists (such as in Liz Smith's May 29th column) and electronic Internet sites (Harry Knowles Ain't it Cool site) re-publishing the rumor and giving it strength to live again. We didn't say it wasn't a nifty idea - just that it's not the real deal.
Spielberg and Ford are going to do another Indy, that much has been confirmed by both men before in interviews. The only rumor that seems to make sense in this tangled web of shadowy gossiping is one that had Spielberg, Ford and Sean Connery meet earlier in May to discuss future Indy plans. Spielberg is in England filming Saving Private Ryan, and may have had the time to took up with his co-stars. The only item that seems to be the wild card is Spielberg's hectic schedule. The director has been attached to a few developing projects at DreamWorks, the studio he co-created. Will he find the time, and is this the right time for Spielberg to consider helming another Indy flick for Paramount?
[Rumors overheard by 'mdm1', 'Jiffy', 'jkaminski', Mark Stewart, 'alz', Brian Varland, ZENtertainment, 'widgett', Mike Smith and anonymously. Additional reporting done by Brent Lynch.]
June 24, 1997... Not one, not two, but three seperate scoopers have sent us info about who might become the long-lost sibling of Indy - and it's none other than the original choice to play the role. According to our sources, Paramount execs would like to continue with a Jones family sub-plot in the new flick. That would mean that yes, a return appearance by Sean Connery is planned for in the lates script revision. But along with the return of Dr. Jones Senior would be his other son, and he's a sort of bad apple among the clan. If all works out, look for Tom Selleck to portray the missing Jones brother. [Scoops sent in by 'Zool', 'Magnum PI' and anonymously.]
June 29, 1997... "I've just heard a bit of info on the new Indy film from a reliable source, who insists that the 'Indy's evil brother' storyline is nothing more than just a stupid rumor. Costner isn't in it. Selleck isn't in it. And not even aliens are in it. That's all a load of bull*@#*, just as the bogus 'Sons of Darkness' script was. Connery IS in the film, and so is (about time) Karen Allen's character from Raiders. The real shocking news is that one of these characters is killed off in the fourth movie." [Sent in by 'Starman'.]
This scoop's also been sent in by another scooper. They also report that the 'evil brother' angle is false, and that Connery and Allen's characters are expected to return. As for one of the storylines, they simply said that it'll be "along the same lines On Her Majesty's Secret Service had with the James Bond films." [Sent in long distance by 'Widgett@Endor'.]
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. [Sent in by 'kellis'.]
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. [Scooped by 'Snowdog'.]
August 9, 1997... Presently, Harrison Ford is on the Hawaiian island of Kaui shooting the romantic comedy 6 Days, 7 Nights - and we're starting to hear some interesting things from CA readers in that corner of the globe.
One scooper tells us that the next Indiana Jones film will be shot in Kaui this year - and that the island will sub for the lost continent of Atlantis. The scooper also reports that Sean Connery will be back, although in what capacity or duration remains unknown. [Scooped anonymously.]
Another anonymous writer tells us of his brother's story about this possible new Indy movie, and it may very well provide us with our first hard details. The scooper's brother works as a guide for horseback riding tours, and both he and his friends have been hired as extras to work on the Indiana Jones movie when it starts filming in Kaui in November this year! The scooper's brother, a big fan of the Indy trilogy, asked and was told that both Sean Connery and Karen Allen's characters will be in this new movie. Shooting begin November 17th on the Na Pali coast, with additional lensing taking place on November 25th in the Lumaha'i Valley. And the scooper said his brother was told what the name of the new Indy film - Indiana Jones and the Lost Continent. [Submitted anonymously.]
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. [Scoop emailed to us by 'meadow1'.]
In situations like this we, the rumor-mongers of movies here in Netland, need to band together to try and discern truth from fiction. Garth Franklin, the creator of the film-tracking Web site known as Dark Horizons, recently received a possible accurate scoop about the new Indy's storyline and broke it on his site:
"'Indiana Jones and The Fallen Empire'. Sounds like just another title huh? Well when 'Dark Horizons' broke the news, a few people at Paramount got a bit 'hot under the collar' that their secret title was revealed. The author is a guy named Gary Black (aka Garrett Black). Lucas is excited about the script but has not purchased it."
Our own H'wood sources have also heard the Gary Black name mentioned in the same context. According to the story, Black wrote a spec script a few years back which caught on fire but never went into production. He pitched to Lucasfilm and as the tale goes, Lucas went ga-ga for the Black storyline. Thing is, nobody in L.A. has even seen the alleged earlier Black screenplay...
Garth continues on: "I've talked with two highly placed contacts who confirm that there is a disinformation campaign already underway. Mr. Tom Sherak (Chairman of Fox) spoke to a group of UCLA students and gave away plot details like:
Be aware that these two details are FALSE!, part of that campaign to confuse us." We've heard about the Sherak tale but couldn't confirm it with our contacts at UCLA. Did Sherak give that Indy speech? [Big thanks to Garth Franklin for the info. Keep dishin' it out down under, m'man!]
September 17, 1997... Garth Franklin corrects his last scoop. The title he's heard mentioned for the fourth Indy adventure should be 'Raiders of the Fallen Empire', not 'Indiana Jones and the Fallen Empire'. [Credited to Garth Franklin.]
The debate as to whether the information that appeared on Franklin's Dark Horizons site is valid rages on. This Columbia Pictures employee had this to say on the matter:
"What the hell would Sherak, an executive of Fox, be doing talking at length about one of Lucasfilm's and Paramount's biggest franchises? I'll tell you-HE WOULDN'T! He gave details about a project not even at his studio to students at UCLA. Do all of us working here a favor and ask before posting absolutely ridiculous stuff." [Sent anonymously.]
"I question why Tom Sherak, Chairman of 20th Century Fox, would say anything at all about the Indiana Jones series when the franchise is one of Paramount Pictures' most secretive and protected titles. I'd be very suspicious of that 'scoop.' I work for Columbia Pictures, and no studio exec in our comapny would ever be privy to such information on another studio's franchise. And, no, just because Fox released the Star Wars films, it doesn't give them any special knowledge of George Lucas' other projects at other studios." We agree with the latter parts of the scooper's email; rarely do inter-company employees have detailed knowledge about other secretive projects their company is working on. This would make the Sherak rumor that more unlikely.
To provide us with some more insight into his site's scoop, Garth Franklin responds:
"The two chairmen of Paramount know all there is to know about this movie. Sherak, even though he's spreading misinformation, also knows everything there is to know about this movie. The question is, why would the head of Fox have to know all this info about a Paramount production? Me smells a possible co-financing deal here."
Unless Tom wants to send us an email clearing up the matter, this'll be yet another tantalizing- but-unproven tale in the 'Indiana Jones and the Possible Sequel' tale. [Thanks to an anonymous scooper and Garth Franklin.]
September 30, 1997... An anonymous scooper tells us the involvement of Mark Hamill in the next Indy picture is "set in stone,"; we feel otherwise based on the info we've heard about the status of the project. Nevertheless, we've done our duty and told you. The scooper also reports that Sean Connery is involved with the current incarnation of the project, and that the storyline takes place during the closing weeks of World War II. We've heard other mentions of the Hamill rumor but personally we find it hard to swallow. Not that Mark's a bad actor or anything, but if he is involved we figure it's in some supporting role and not as Indy's new nemesis. [Scooped by 'M3'.]
An unmentioned Scottish newspaper reports Indy 4 will be shooting sometime "in the near future" in Scotland. Unmentioned newspaper? More like a 'delusioned newspaper', we figure... [Scoop submitted by Steve Mags.]
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. But we've got to say this (because we know if we don't, we'll get the email): is the scooper's source working at DreamWorks but privy to the details of a Paramount franchise?? [Scoop handed in by Stephen Alonzo Jackson.]
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... [Anonymous.]
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."
Could anyone at Lucasfilm confirm this? Has anyone around Kasdan's newest project Mumford heard anything? Stay tuned... [Scoop provided by 'Mike from The Unofficial Indiana Jones IV Page'.]
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