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More Indiana Jones 4 Talk From Lucas!
April 27th, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

Hollywood.com got a chance to speak with George Lucas where they asked for a status update on Indiana Jones 4. Lucas confirmed that the script has been completed and he's waiting to meet with Spielberg where he will have a chance to finally read the new draft. He also gave reference to the origins of the Indy 4 plot, which you may find interesting. Here's an excerpt from the interview:

Hollywood.com: And what's the status of the new Indiana Jones?

George Lucas: "I talked to Steven while I was in Hawaii, and he said the script is done and he was going to send it to me when I got back, which was yesterday. It isn't on my desk today and he's coming up tomorrow to see Star Wars, so I assume he'll bring it with him."

HW.com: Is there anything we can reveal about it?

Lucas: "It's...um...No."

HW.com: You had an idea of what was planned before they wrote the script?

Lucas: "Oh yeah. I came up with this idea doing Young Indy, which has got to be about seven or eight years ago, and we've been through a number of scripts--six or eight scripts. Six scripts, two rewrites. So it's been down the path. There were certain aspects of it that Steven and Harrison [Ford] didn't like, and so we changed those, and then we laid out a version and it didn't come out the way it was supposed to, and then we did another version and it didn't come out, so we've just been going through this development hell, which happens once in a while. We'll see. When it comes out, it'll be different. Different, but the same."

HW.com: And Harrison's staying in shape all this time, right, in case he has to take his shirt off?

Lucas: "No, he's plays an older person in this."

HW.com: Is it true that there may be a younger person in this, poised to take over?

Lucas: "It's possible. Not really to take over."

HW.com: But someone to create new movies with?

Lucas: "No, it wasn't meant to be that way. But I guess that's a possibility. It's really to wrap it up. Just desperately trying to put things together that work. You need characters to make the film work. It's not just an adventure story. There's actually got to be human relationships in it."

HW.com: Are you still planning on bringing back some of the other characters from the previous films?

Lucas: "Yeah."

HW.com: Can you say who?

Lucas: "No." [laughs]

HW.com: Mrs. Spielberg, perhaps?

Lucas: "Well, there are a lot of rumors out there. Some of them are true. True-ish."

It's best to play it safe for now and wait until Lucas has had a chance to read the new Indy 4 script before we go breaking out the champagne. Lucas could once again come down like a boulder and stop Indy 4 dead in its tracks. However it should be reassuring to know that Lucas isn't looking to make the fourth film very different from the other three. With the 1950s setting, there will be obvious changes from Last Crusade, but not to the point where fans won't recognize it.

Overall it's looking pretty good folks! It would appear that everyone is on board and assuming Lucas gives the new draft his seal of approval, it won't be long before production on Indy 4 gets into full swing. Stay tuned to The Indy Experience.com for the latest on Indy 4. And be sure to check out the full interview with George Lucas over at Hollywood.com.

Thanks to Kevin and Coming Soon! for the news!

New Raiders: Adaptation Press Updates!
April 27th, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

We have two new press stories on Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation that have just recently been released. The first is very cool video from BBC News hosted by Tom Brook. The BBC segment features clips from the Adaptation, footage from the recent Brooklyn Underground screening and an interview with Chris Strompolos himself. You can visit BBC.co.uk to watch the streaming video, which can be found on the lower right hand side of the page.

The second is a wonderful "photo essay" by Katrina Onstad from CBC.ca, entitled Indy Spirit. The article tells the story of Chris, Eric and Jayson and their quest to remake Raiders of the Lost Ark. "After the Vanity Fair piece ran, we got hooked up with a few studios and we signed our life rights to Scott Rudin at Paramount. We’ve all worked very hard in our lives and sometimes, good things happen to good people. All three of us are extremely grateful. Everything has changed." The article was released to coincide with the Adaptation's Canadian premiere at Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children on May 4th and 5th.

To learn more about the Raiders of the Lost Ark remake, check out TIE.c's Raiders: The Adaptation section for videos, press archives and interviews!

Thanks to Chris Strompolos for the news!

Lucas: Indy 4 is Definitely in the Works!
April 24th, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

Star Wars.com has posted an official summary of George Lucas' appearance at Celebration III in Indianapolis yesterday. In it, Lucas commented on the Young Indy DVDs (as reported yesterday) but he also went on to confirm what McCallum said, stating that he [Lucas] has in his possession the Indiana Jones 4 script! Here is an excerpt from the Q&A via Star Wars.com:

Asked about the possibility of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles on DVD, Lucas joked at the perfect lead-in question, "Is this a set-up?" He added, "We are working very hard on completing the entire series with about 100 documentaries to do along with it, based on the main historical characters found in the series."

Regarding the grown up Indiana Jones, people wanted to know when the man in the hat was coming back. "As a matter of fact, I just received the new script two days ago. I have yet to read it," he said. "I'd like to be able to read it this weekend. I'll be talking to Steven on Monday, and then we'll figure out what we're going to do. So, it's definitely in the works."

Now that his work on Episode III is winding down, Lucas will hopefully have more time to focus on the Young Indiana Jones DVDs, and more importantly, Indiana Jones 4. Not much more to add to this that Lucas hasn't already said. Now the fate of Indy 4 is in the hands of Mr. Lucas and Mr. Spielberg. We'll keep you updated on the latest.

Thanks to Rena for the news!

George Lucas Confirms Young Indy DVDs!
April 23rd, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

IESB.net just posted another update from Celebration III, which is now on it's third day. As promised, George Lucas was on the scene to talk with fans and during one of the press conferences, Lucas himself confirmed that work has begun on the Young Indiana Jones DVDs! Lucas stated that the studio had given them some grief in the past about the films, but production on the Young Indy DVD is still moving forward. In keeping with Lucas' crusade for education, Lucasfilm has also been hard at work on creating around 100 new documentaries on the film's characters and the historical figures Indy encounters through his adventures.

Well folks, there you have it! The Young Indy DVDs are officially in production - now it's just a matter of time. We still haven't gotten any word on a release date, but more info is likely to emerge in the coming months. We'll keep you updated on any further Indy news out of Celebration III, and in the mean time, check out IESB.net for further coverage of CIII.

Big thanks to Eddie and Stephanie for letting me know!

Rick McCallum Gives an Indy 4 Status Update!
April 22nd, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

IESB.net posted a quick update from Celebration III just a few minutes ago. Producer Rick McCallum was there to talk to fans, and when asked about Indiana Jones 4, he replied saying that Lucas has the script this week! We've been expecting to hear something about the new draft for a few weeks now. Good to know that Nathanson came through after all. Let's just hope Lucas doesn't protest to the new script and cause further delays. But that's not all Rick had to say...

McCallum also stated that there's only one more project for Spielberg to do before he starts work on Indy 4. That next project is most likely Spielberg's untitled film about the 1972 Mossad Olympics. McCallum then added that any chance of recasting Ford in the event of more script delays is "out of the question." Well, that's good to hear!

Very exciting news all around. Never can get enough positive feedback on Indy 4, and if all goes well, it looks as though production will be starting sometime in 2006 as promised by Spielberg a few months ago. Stay tuned to TIE.c and IESB.net for the latest from CIII!

Thanks to Eddie and TheForce.net for the news!

Spielberg/Lucas Biopic Coming to A&E!
April 22nd, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

In an online article from Variety.com, A&E along with Granada is currently working on a two-hour long biographical film about the relationship between two of Hollywood's biggest names: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas!

The working title for the film is Celluloid Titans with executive producer Jody Brockway and Norman Snider as writer. The film "...will examine the friendly but competitive directors during the tipping points of their respective careers." Surely we can expect to see some of the film chronicle Spielberg and Lucas' work on the Indiana Jones films throughout the 1980s. So far there's no word on the release date for the film, but we'll let you know once more information is released.

Thanks to Spielbergfilms.com for the news!

New Fan Made Indiana Jones Screenplay!
April 19th, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

We have quite a treat for you today as we have finally updated the Indiana Jones Fan Fiction section, which has been stagnant for some time now. Writer and storyteller, Ric Christensen has written his own full length Indiana Jones screenplay entitled Indiana Jones and the Dance of Aldebaran. Here is an introduction Ric prepared for his script:

This is an un-authorized work and meant only as a tribute to a great fictional character. I wrote "The Dance of Aldebaran" on a lark because I believed that the Indiana Jones character deserved more than the "grow old and die" scenario that was painted for him in the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. Indy was a hero in a time when the world needed heroes, but that hour never seems to pass for his audience. Larger than life characters need more than to succumb to the frailties of mere mortals. We want them to always be there; ready to emerge once again whenever they are needed.

It is my hope that this story will give Indy's fans the satisfaction of knowing that no matter what, heroes live on.

Not that it matters, but some of the events described in this story are true, proof that history is stranger than fiction.

For continuity it would be helpful if the reader was familiar with the Indiana Jones trilogy as well as the character from the book "Lost Horizon" by James Hilton and/or the movie starring Roland Colman.

Thank you and enjoy,

Ric Christensen.

You can download the 144 page Dance of Aldebaran screenplay in TIE.c's Indiana Jones Fan Script section or by choosing one of the two formats below (be sure to right click and save):

• Indiana Jones and the Dance of Aldebaran Word Document (90 KB)
• Indiana Jones and the Dance of Aldebaran Notepad (63 KB)

I would like to extend my thanks to Mr. Christensen for allowing us to host his screenplay and to congratulate him on his wonderful accomplishment.

If you have any comments on the script, you can email Ric at: chrisfiore4@peoplepc.com.

More Details on the New Udoiana Raunes Game!
April 17th, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

We've received more details on the new Udoiana Raunes fan game which is due to release this month. With the next game nearing completion, creators Stefan Zwanzger and Thomas Wagner want to get fans excited about their newest creation. And to give you an idea as to what's in store, here are a few details about the new Raunes adventure:

Title: Udoiana Raunes in search for Indiana Jones IV

Missions: Bring Steven, George and Harrison to do Indiana Jones IV.

Locations: Skywalker Ranch, Harrison's Wyoming Home, Script Dungeon, London and many more.

The creators are also looking for Beta-Testers for the new Udoiana Raunes game. To apply, send an email to: udoiana@raunes.com.

For continuing updates on the next Udoiana Raunes game, bookmark one of their three official sites: www.indy4.com, www.indy4.net & www.indy4.de.

Thanks to Stefan Zwanzger and Thomas Wagner for the information!

The Globe and Mail Features an Article on The Adaptation
April 12th, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

Canadian newspaper, The Globe and Mail featured an article on Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation entitled "Backyard remakers of the Lost Ark" which faithfully sums up the spirit behind the Raiders remake. The article includes quotes from Adaptation co-creator, Chris Strompolos, who tells the story of how he and his two buddies, Eric Zala and Jayson Lamb remade Raiders of the Lost Ark. Here's a quick snippet from the article:

"When Steven Spielberg's blockbuster Raiders of the Lost Ark hit the cinemas in 1981, 10-year-old Chris Strompolos, who lived in southern Mississippi, was blown away by the film, saw it numerous times, and bought every magazine and comic about the Harrison Ford character that he could lay his hands on.

Strompolos daydreamed about the swashbuckling archeologist. He lay in bed recreating Indy's fabulous adventures fighting Nazis with ex-flame Marion. Then one day, Strompolos decided to take his Indy fixation to a new level. He recruited two Christ Episcopal Day School pals (and fellow geeks) -- Eric Zala and Jayson Lamb -- to help him remake, shot by shot (649 in all), Spielberg's famous film."

The article also makes note of upcoming festival screenings of the Raiders remake and is overall worth a read. You can check out the full article online at The Globe and Mail.com. And to learn more about The Adaptation, visit TIE.c's Raiders: Adaptation section for video, interviews and more.

Thanks to Eddie for the news!

The Indy Experience.com: Year 3!
April 10th, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

April 10th 2002 - April 10th 2005

Here we are again, celebrating another birthday for The Indy Experience.com! Three years ago on this very day, TIE.c first open its virtual doors to the world. For the last two TIE.c birthdays, we've included special updates for the site including new features, new articles, new content and even new designs. Well, this year, I'm afraid we've had to delay all the fun. Running a website and working towards a degree full time is not an easy task.

As I'm sure you've all noticed, there haven't been many major updates on TIE.c for quite some time and I apologize. And what's the excuse? Well for one, we've been hard at work on an all new TIE.c design! We've been working on it for almost a year now, and I have a feeling it's going to blow everyone away! Not only can you expect a new design, but we have a mine cart load of new features in store as well, including new articles, new downloads, new site features, and new contests. You can also expect to see the TIE.c Newsletter go back into circulation and yes, captions will be updated weekly for a change!

So, when can you anticipate all this fun and excitement? Expect to see some exciting changes this summer. So stay tuned and keep an eye out for updates - it's going to be an adventure you won't want to miss!

First 5 Minutes of Treasure of the Templars Online!
April 9th, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

The first five minutes of the upcoming Indiana Jones fan film, Treasure of the Templars is now online! Ken Gawne and I have just finished updating the official site making the opening sequence of the film available for download for the first time ever!

Treasure of the Templars: The First 5 Minutes You will need both WinZip and DivX to view the clip.

The clip that's online is a rough cut of the opening sequence, but it is still a testament to the amazing hard work and dedication that has gone into creating this fan film. Be sure to visit www.treasureofthetemplars.com to learn more about this incredible fan film epic!

Indy 4 Trailer/April Fool's Joke on IFILM
April 3rd, 2005 | Posted by Aaron

Thought I might point out that a 30 second trailer for Indiana Jones 4, or should I say, Indiana Jones and the Lost Continent, was posted on IFILM on April 1st (hint, hint) that raised questions from some fans. Here's the synopsis for the film posted from IFILM:

"A semi-retired Indy is lured back for one last grand mission by his wayward brother who claims to have found a map to the legendary Atlantis. Although extremely skeptical, the archeologist joins his sibling after their father is kidnapped by Nazis who are also looking for the secret land."

Once you have a look at the trailer I'm sure you'll share in my thanks that it's just a hoax. The fan made Indy 4 trailer was created with footage from the fan film Indiana Jones and the Desperate Cry for Adventure (also hosted by IFILM) as well as one of the Emperor's Tomb trailers. So, to put your mind at rest; yes, this was just an April Fool's joke. Still, it's good for a laugh.

Visit IFILM to view the trailer.

Thanks to Eddie and Daniel for letting me know!