Archived News Stories from 2004: December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004

Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss: Chapter 6
Feburary 29th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

In the continuing adventures of Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss, we present the next chapter in Monkey's all new adventure serial: Escape From Darknes!

1937 - Everyone's favorite archaeology professor embarks on a brand new adventure that spans four continents. From the depths of booby trap ridden Inca tombs to the magnificent temples of Upper Egypt and the valley of the Nile; Indiana Jones is pitted against foes and adversaries both modern and ancient.  This ain't your little brother's Indiana Jones.......

•  Chapter 1 - Into the Tomb
•  Chapter 2 - Pit of Death
•  Chapter 3 - Rats
•  Chapter 4 - Pyre of Forsaken Souls
•  Chapter 5 - Treasure of the Incas
•  Chapter 6 - Escape From Darkness

Tune in Sunday for the next chapter in, Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss!  Big thanks to Monkey for allowing us to host his serial!

 

Raiders: The Adaptation Story Comes to Film!
Feburary 28th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

Just got the article from Variety about the story of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation coming to film.  Here's the full article: 

RUDIN RAIDS “RAIDERS” TRIBUTE TRIO FOR PIC:  VARIETY - THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26th 2004

Scott Rudin has purchased the life rights of the trio of filmmakers who constructed the ultimate tribute movie, "Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation," to develop through his Paramount-based production shingle.

In a deal worth mid-six figures, Rudin obtained the rights from Chris Strompolos , Eric Zala and Jayson Lamb . While adolescents in Mississippi , the trio launched a shot-by-shot remake of "Raiders" in Zala's backyard while on summer vacation in 1982 and finished seven years later.

Strompolos, who starred as Indiana Jones, came up with idea when he was 10 and told his friend Zala, who was 11, about it as they rode the bus to school. Zala eventually storyboarded the 649 scenes in the film; Lamb, who was a fan of horror pics and Rick Baker special effects, shot on a VHS camcorder.

The three -- who would eventually spend somewhere between $5,000 and $8,000 -- combined ingenuity with Mississippi backwoods locales to re-create signature scenes from the 1981 blockbuster such as the rolling boulder, the live snakes and the truck sequences. A lack of coin, however, did force them to improvise, subbing a dog for a monkey, for example. After the film was completed, it remained largely unknown until it was discovered two years ago by filmmaker Eli Roth , who submitted it for a showing at the fourth annual Butt-Numb-a-Thon Festival organized by Harry Knowles in Austin , Texas , in December 2002.

That led to a letter of endorsement from director Steven Spielberg, the trio's story being pitched in Hollywood and a "Raiders of the Lost Backyard" feature in the current issue of Vanity Fair.

Big thanks to 'The Raiders Guys' (Chris Strompolos , Eric Zala and Jayson Lamb ) for sending us the article.  Again, we at TIE.c wish them all the best of luck in their endeavor and we promise to keep you up to date on any further developments!  Keep checking in for more info, and you can find this article in the February 26th issue of Variety Magazine.

 

Amrish Puri: The 'Bollywood' Bad Guy
Feburary 27th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

A TIE.c reader has turned my attention to two articles from the net about Amrish Puri and his career.  The articles give a very interesting and revealing look at his work on Indiana Jones.  Amrish Puri, better known as Mola Ram from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom almost didn't accept the roll as the classic Indy villain, it took a nudge from Hollywood legend, Richard Attenborough to convince him.  From Indianinfo:

Interestingly, Amrish Puri almost didn't do the presequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark because the film's plot, he felt after reading the script Spielberg had sent him, was no different from that of any regular Hindi masala movie and didn't offer him any challenge. It was Sir Richard Attenborough in whose Gandhi Puri had played a bit role, who convinced him to do the film pointing out that it was Spielberg's technique that made his films special. The rest, as they say, is box-office history. Indiana Jones netted a cool Rs 46 million after a week's run in the US and went on to become one of the top grossing films in Hollywood, flooding Puri with a deluge of offers all of which he thumbed down because they were just variations in the Indiana Jones mould.

And from Gulf-News Online:

His enactment of Mola Ram against Harrison Ford in the Steven Spielberg movie, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, is history now. His picture of the high priest with his horned headgear, surrounded by skulls, is imprinted in many minds. And to think that Puri almost didn't do this film instils curiosity in any film critic.

"After reading the script Spielberg had sent, I felt it was no different from any regular Hindi masala movie... it didn't offer much challenge. I wasn't also sure if I would be able to commit my time as I was already working simultaneously on 15 films then. It was Sir Richard Attenborough, in whose Gandhi I had played a role, who convinced me to do the film, saying that it was Spielberg's technique that made his films special."

Two excellent articles and definitely worth a read.  Both articles give very interesting information and little-known facts that you can't find anywhere else.  Check out Indianinfo and Gulf-News Online to read more!

 

Raiders: Adaptation Story to be Filmed!
Feburary 26th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

Excellent news today for the creators of the Raiders of the Lost Ark remake - Harry Knowles at AICN reported that Scott Rudin has purchased the rights for the life story of the fans who created the Raiders of the Lost Ark remake and now there's going to be a film chronicling the amazing story of three friends and their quest to create the ultimate fan film!

Harry also talked with The Today Show where he spoke about the creative trio and their remake which will air on Friday.  Wonderful news, and after reading about the remake and speaking with the creators, it's a true feel-good story that all Indy fans will cherish and shall go down in Indiana Jones history!  The story behind the Raiders remake is unlike non-other and in case you don't recall, Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation was created by three Mississippi kids back in 1982: Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala and Jasyon Lamb.  Little did they know that they had created a cultural icon with their shot-by-shot remake of Raiders.  And soon, we'll have the chance to relive their story of how they remade Raiders of the Lost Ark.  For more info, head on over to AICN to read more and you might want to check out Harry Knowles' Review of the Raiders Remake to find out more about the Raiders remake.

There's currently an EXCELLENT article running in the Hollywood issue of Vanity Fair that tells the tale of how these three guys pulled off such an amazing feat in remaking the greatest film of all time...

A big congratulations from everyone here at TIE.c and our readers, this is definitely the beginning of something big!  Stay tuned for the latest, we'll keep you up to date!

 

New Indiana Jones Product Coming to SW.com!
Feburary 25th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

In an interview with the director of Lucasfilm Online; Paul Ens, TheForce.net got the scoop on what we can expect at the new StarWarsShop.com, the official online Star Wars store and a surprise that should please most Indy fans:

Will you sell only Star Wars related items in the store, or include other LFL properties like Indiana Jones?

[Paul Ens] There is actually going to be one very-cool, never-before-offered Indiana Jones item on the store at launch. You'll have to visit on March 10 to check it out.

Very cool to hear!  We'll keep you up to date, so keep checking back to find out what the mystery product will be!  Check out the official announcement here.

Thanks to Mike from IndyGear.com for the news!

 

Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss: Chapter 5
Feburary 24th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

In the continuing adventures of Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss, we present the next chapter in Monkey's all new adventure serial: Treasure of the Incas!

1937 - Everyone's favorite archaeology professor embarks on a brand new adventure that spans four continents. From the depths of booby trap ridden Inca tombs to the magnificent temples of Upper Egypt and the valley of the Nile; Indiana Jones is pitted against foes and adversaries both modern and ancient.  This ain't your little brother's Indiana Jones.......

•  Chapter 1 - Into the Tomb
•  Chapter 2 - Pit of Death
•  Chapter 3 - Rats
•  Chapter 4 - Pyre of Forsaken Souls
•  Chapter 5 - Treasure of the Incas

Tune in Sunday for the next chapter in, Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss!  Big thanks to Monkey for allowing us to host his serial!

 

Official Site: The Many Awards of Indiana Jones!
Feburary 24th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

The official Indy site, Indiana Jones.com has updated with a new article on the many awards of the Indiana Jones films:

While the list of awards for the cast and crew of Indiana Jones go on and on to include Grammys®, Emmys®, and more, it is noteworthy to acknowledge the international accolades that helped render the series among the most successful films of all time. Outside the U.S., all three films have been recognized by the British, French and German equivalents of the Academy Awards®. Specifically, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTA) awarded Raiders for Best Production Design-Art Direction, Temple of Doom for Best Special Visual Effects, and nominated The Last Crusade for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Sound, and Best Special Effects. The British Society of Cinematographers nominated Temple of Doom for its Best Cinematography Award. Germany's Golden Screen was awarded to Temple of Doom in 1985 and to The Last Crusade in 1990. And the French César Awards nominated Raiders for Best Foreign Film.

It's been a while since the official site has been updated, good to see more articles at IJ.com.  A great article, definitely worth a read!  To read the full article, check out Indiana Jones.com!

 

Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss: Chapter 4
Feburary 23th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

In the continuing adventures of Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss, we present the next chapter in the on-going adventure serial, Pyre of Forsaken Souls!

1937 - Everyone's favorite archaeology professor embarks on a brand new adventure that spans four continents. From the depths of booby trap ridden Inca tombs to the magnificent temples of Upper Egypt and the valley of the Nile; Indiana Jones is pitted against foes and adversaries both modern and ancient.  This ain't your little brother's Indiana Jones.......

•  Chapter 1 - Into the Tomb
•  Chapter 2 - Pit of Death
•  Chapter 3 - Rats
•  Chapter 4 - Pyre of Forsaken Souls

A quick note: we're going to be releasing the chapters in the serial on Sunday and Wednesday of each week to ensure a gripping cliff hanger ending each time.  We released the first three chapters last week but from now on, we will be releasing the serial one chapter at a time.  Tune in Wednesday for the next chapter in the continuing adventures of Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss!

Be sure to check out the other chapters in, Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss!.  Big thanks to Monkey for allowing us to host his serial!

 

Indy DVDs Nominated for Saturn Award!
Feburary 22th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

The Adventures of Indiana Jones DVD collection has been nominated for Best DVD Collection in this year's 30th Annual Saturn Awards.  This year's nominees include:

• The Adventures Of Indiana Jones DVD Collection (Paramount)
• Alien Quadrilogy (Fox)
• Jack Ryan Special Edition DVD Collection (Paramount)
• Lon Chaney Collection (Warner)
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection 2 – 4 (Rhino)
• X Men Collection (Fox)

For more information, check out the official Saturn Award website. 

Thanks to Spielbergfilms for the info!

 

Indiana Jones IV in 2006?
Feburary 19th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

TheForce.Net has posted a new list of information they've been hearing from their 'inside sources' and all signs point to Indy IV being made, but only being pushed back a year with a release date of July 4th, 2006 (rather than 2005):

- The 4th Indiana Jones was indeed stalled because of problems with the script. From what we gather the script didn't satisfy the "3 principals." From what we can tell, Lucas is taking the hit for this despite the fact that those in the know making no mention of Lucas specifically as the source of the problem.

- We believe that Paramount has pushed the release date back a year, from July 4th weekend 2005 to 4th of July 2006. There is still "every reason to believe" the film will get made, despite the growing concern for ages.

- To fill the gap that moving Indy IV to 2006 created, the studio has green-lit a remake of "The Longest Yard" staring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock with a target release of Memorial Day 2005 (and also direct Star wars III competition, noted).

It's good year hear a voice of confidence in a sea of rumors and confusion.  Keep the faith my fellow Indy fans, Indy IV WILL happen.  We'll keep you up to date, stay tuned!

Thanks to TheForce.Net for the news!

 

Kevin Smith not Rewriting Indy IV
Feburary 19th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

According to various sources on the web, the 'surprise' Kevin Smith was going to reveal turned out to not have anything to do with rewriting Frank Darabont's Indiana Jones IV script.  Instead his secret project is a new film entitled The Green Hornet.

So far, all sources are pointing to either an unnamed writer, or George Lucas rewriting the Indy IV script.  So for right now, hang tight and we'll keep you up to date.

Thanks to Eileen from HarrisonFordWeb for the news!

 

Pat Roach at London Film Convention!
Feburary 18th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

Pat Roach, the only man to appear in all three Indiana Jones films other than Harrison Ford himself, will be appearing at the London Film and Comic Convention (March 6th and 7th)!  Pat Roach appeared in all three Indy films, and twice in Raiders.  He will be appearing on both days of the convention and we'll bring you more information in the coming weeks. John Rhys-Davies will also be appearing at the convention.

Thanks to Peter for the heads up!

 

Frank Darabont Talks Indy IV Script
Feburary 16th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

Ain't-It-Cool-News talked with Indiana Jones IV writer, Frank Darabont about the Indy IV script delays, and here's what he had to say:

"The short and simple version of the Indiana Jones 4 situation is that after more than a year of working closely with Steven Spielberg developing the story, I had completed a screenplay that Steven loved and was hoping to shoot in July of this year. However, George Lucas had issues with the script and slammed on the brakes in order to rework the material himself. There is talk of enlisting another writer. Given that George is the producer, but even moreso because of their long and close friendship, Steven is deferring to George in this situation.

It is now up to them to try to find a common ground regarding the film. I wish them luck and hope their efforts result in something they're both excited about shooting. What, if anything, might remain of my work at the end of the process is anybody's guess, assuming the film even gets made at this point. As for me, I'm disappointed, but I'm putting the experience behind me and moving on with my life and my own projects."

This is what I expected to hear from Mr. Darabont.  Writing the Indy IV screenplay is a matter of pleasing both Spielberg and Lucas, which, as you can imagine, is a hard task.  Production of Indy IV will be delayed, but it will happen.  Keep your hopes up and stay tuned, we'll keep you up to date!

Thanks to ComingSoon! and 'Kevin' for the news!

 

New Indy Fan Fiction Serial: Gypsy's Kiss!
Feburary 15th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

The Indiana Jones fan fiction master himself, Monkey has begun work on an all new Indiana Jones adventure serial, Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss!  Each Sunday we will release three chapters of his adventure serial:

1937 - Everyone's favorite archaeology professor embarks on a brand new adventure that spans four continents. From the depths of booby trap ridden Inca tombs to the magnificent temples of Upper Egypt and the valley of the Nile; Indiana Jones is pitted against foes and adversaries both modern and ancient.  This ain't your little brother's Indiana Jones.......

•  Chapter 1 - Into the Tomb

Tune in next week for the continuing adventures of, Indiana Jones and the Gypsy's Kiss!  Special thanks to Monkey for his hard work.

We would also like to take this time to point out that Monkey's earlier unfinished story, the four part novel entitled, Indiana Jones and the Secret of Nan Madol, has been pulled from TIE.c in order for Monkey to finish his work.  It will return in time and we thank you for your patients.

 

New Article: Indy's Relationships with Women!
Feburary 14th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

For Valentine's Day this year, our resident fan fiction writer, S.L. Nobrega (a.k.a Canyon), has prepared a delightful article on Indy's Relationships with Women!

Indy's Relationships with Women - Canyon has written a three part article on the relationships and romance throughout the life of Indiana Jones.  Canyon looks at the relationships Indy had during the films, the novels and even the video games.

 

Updated: Indy IV Official Confirmation?
Feburary 12th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

As we reported yesterday in an earlier story: BBC Radio 2 noted that Indiana Jones IV had been officially confirmed.  Mark Blades sent me an email giving a run-down of what the BBC said:

It seems like we will have to wait a little longer to see Indiana Jones IV. The script may have to be re - written after George Lucas was said to be unhappy with the finished version. Filming may now not begin until 2005 when Harrison Ford will be 63 years old.

They went on to say that they were looking forward to seeing Ford return as Indiana Jones and that his age would not be a problem.  While there is no mention of Indy IV being official confirmed, it's still good to see Indy in the news.  Stay tuned!

Thanks to Mark Blades for the information!

 

Kevin Smith to Re-Write Indiana Jones IV!?
Feburary 11th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

There's a rumor floating around the net that director Kevin Smith has been hired to rewrite Frank Darabont's Indiana Jones IV screenplay.  Eileen from Harrison Ford Web noted on her forum that according to a teaser at the official View Askew website, Kevin Smith has a big surprise in store for either tomorrow or Friday and according to current rumors, it could be an announcement that he will be rewriting the Indy IV script.

Keep in mind: this is just a RUMOR.  Nothing is official yet.  Kevin Smith is a big Indiana Jones fan and is best known for his films, Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and his latest, Jersey Girl.  There's also been talk that the reason George Lucas was unhappy with Frank Darabont's Indy IV script was that he was angry with Mr. Darabont for unknown reasons and that's what triggered the rewrite.  Again, that's just a rumor, and there has been no official reason given as to why the Indiana Jones IV screenplay will be receiving a revamping.

Keep it here for the latest, and check back in the next few days to see how this story plays out.  Stay tuned!

Thanks to Eileen from Harrison Ford Web for the tip!

 

Indiana Jones IV Official Confirmation?
Feburary 11th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

Peter has informed me of some interesting information coming from the UK's BBC Radio 2.  It seems that there was a statement made on the radio that Indiana Jones IV had been confirmed.  What does this mean?  We have no idea at this point, the information is vague and there's not much to go on.  This could simply be some old news rehashed, or it could be a leak from Lucasfilm.  But for right now it will remain a rumor, and barely a rumor at that.  We'll do some investigating and see what this is all about.  I just wanted to get the word out, this will probably turn out to be nothing but you never know.

If you have any information regarding this radio broadcast, please email me: aaron@theindyexperience.com.  Stay tuned for more information...

 

Update: Raiders Adaptation Article in Vanity Fair
Feburary 11th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

I have an update with a scan from the Vanity Fair article by Jim Windolf about the Raiders of the Lost Ark shot-for-shot remake.  I really enjoyed the article, and I was very impressed with the hard work and dedication of these fans.  They've pulled off something that most fans could only dream of.  Here's an excerpt from the article:

"For most kids, an afternoon spent daydreaming out loud about taking on some grand project would have been enough.  But for Chris [Strompolos] and Eric [Zala], it was just the beginning.  As partners, they would prove to be strangely suited to the huge task they had begun.  And so their little undertaking became something that occupied them for the rest of the 1980's."

The article was a wonderful read, and gave a good amount of info on the creation of the film.  The hard work and devoted effort put into the making of Raiders: The Adaptation is truly a milestone in Indy history.

To read more, check out the March 2004 Hollywood Edition of Vanity Fair!

 

Spielberg Happy with Indy IV Script!
Feburary 9th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

To add yet another twist the on-going story of the Indiana Jones IV script, Variety is now reporting that Steven Spielberg liked Frank Darabont's draft of the Indy IV script!  As you might have read this past week in a previous story, George Lucas was unhappy with the Indy IV script that had been sent in by Darabont.  Well, now Variety is now reporting that unlike his colleague, Spielberg liked the draft:

Steven Spielberg liked the script. George Lucas, his partner, didn't. So last week, the umpteenth attempt to revive "Indiana Jones" at Paramount got stalled one more time.

Granted it's just a short paragraph without a lot of detail, but it gives you a sense as to what's going on.  As it's been said in the past, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford all had to agree on a script for Indy IV before production could begin.  So now we're facing a script 'tweaking' by an undetermined writer which could delay the production for several months.  This pretty much eliminates a July 2005 release date, but you never know what might happen.

We encourage fans to keep an optimistic look at the recent Indy IV news.  Delays are inevitable and let's be glad they're doing their best to perfect the script before they begin filming.  So sit back and keep it here for the latest, we'll keep you up to date!

Thanks to Variety, SpielbergFilms and Scott for the news!

 

Raiders Adaptation Article in Vanity Fair
Feburary 8th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

Just got an email from 'The Raiders Guys', the creators of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation where they informed me of an upcoming article in Vanity Fair (March 2004 Hollywood Issue) which features a 9,000 word article by Jim Windolf.  The issue of Vanity Fair is already available in some states, so check your local news stands and be sure to read it!  We'll try and get more info as time goes by, stay tuned!

Big thanks to Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala, and Jason Lamb for the news!

 

Happy Birthday John Williams!
Feburary 8th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

Today marks the 72nd birthday of film score composer John Williams!  The man who gave music to the Indiana Jones Trilogy has been conducting music for half a century and we at The Indy Experience would like to wish Mr. Williams a very happy birthday!

Thanks to Peter Balaz from The Light of Indiana Jones for the reminder!

 

More Info on the Indy IV Script Delays
Feburary 6th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

E! Online News has posted a story on the Indiana Jones IV script delays with comments from Spielberg's representative, Marv Levy, saying that there will still be work on the script, but the delay will push the film's release back quite a ways:

The studio has confirmed that the trifecta of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford have put the project on hold after Lucas decided he wasn't happy with the screenplay penned by filmmaker Frank Darabont (The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption).

"They'll be some more script work," says Spielberg rep Marv Levy, who could not say exactly how long production would be delayed or how it would affect Paramount's targeted release date of July 4, 2005.

Fans wanting to keep up with the Jones will have to keep waiting. The film now might not even begin filming until 2005. That would put Ford closer to archeological relic status--he could be 63 by the time Indy swings onto the big screen again.

(Not there's anything wrong with that--Ford has repeatedly stated in interviews that he looks forward to portraying an older, creakier, Dr. Jones.)

The movie fan Website ComingSoon.net reported that producers had already scouted locations for the sequel in Hawaii and that the fourth installment was slated to shoot there for two months next summer. A Paramount rep, however, says the film will now continue in development as long as necessary, with an as-yet unidentified new writer coming aboard to polish Darabont's script.

Aside from a decent screenplay, the studio also needs to synch the schedules of Ford, Spielberg and Lucas--a seemingly daunting task these days.

Things seem to be getting worse as time goes by, Indy IV's status looks bleak, and while it may seem hopeless, they haven't canceled the project all together, so there is still hope.  The status of the film is still in production, when you think about how movies are made, we're only facing small set backs.  Keep your fingers crossed and your browsers here for the latest, stay tuned!

Go here to read the full story.  Thanks to Ren for the news.

 

Indy IV Script: The Plot Thickens...
Feburary 6th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

As you've probably read, Dark Horizons posted a quick scoop along with the Indiana Jones IV script delays.  They got a report from a Paramount 'insider' who said that the script delays were due to a subplot involving Indy's brother:

Meanwhile a supposed Paramount insider sent in the following scoop to DH a few hours before the trade report broke which could reveal some of the reasoning behind why Lucas didn't like it: "Darabont has been ordered to rewrite it, one of the elements he apparently didn't go for was a sub-plot involving Indy's brother. The brother is still going to be in it, but not as much a focus as in the current script. There needs to be more dimension to the character as well. Apparently Kevin Costner has talked to Spielberg too - but I don't know if he's in it".

A very interesting addition to he story.  For right now the script delays will be something we'll just have to live with.  We'll continue to keep you up to date on this matter, and to read Eric Fisk's take on the Indy IV Script Delays, visit Render's Rants.

Go here to read the full article.

 

More Indiana Jones IV Script Delays
Feburary 5th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

Just a few days ago, Variety reported that Frank Darabont had completed the Indiana Jones IV script and that Spielberg, Lucas and Ford would be moving into production with the fourth Indiana Jones film very soon.  However, this morning Variety is reporting that there have been some problems among The Big Three and that they are hiring another script writer to rewrite Darabont's Indy IV script.  Here's the story from Variety:

The long-gestating reunion of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford for a fourth "Indiana Jones" pic is on hold -- again -- as a new script draft is commissioned.

Paramount had hoped to reunite Indy with his whip and Stetson hat and get back into production on a new "Indiana Jones" pic in 2004 for a 2005 release. Frank Darabont had been brought in to script a concept the trio liked, but sources close to the production said Lucas was unhappy with the draft. The Indy troika will now bring aboard another screenwriter to hone Darabont's script.

Spielberg had no comment on his plans. Spielberg, Lucas and Ford have been trying for nearly a decade to mount one last Indiana Jones adventure, on the condition that all three had to love the concept and script before proceeding.

Finding an availability window for Spielberg, Ford and Lucas is daunting, and it is now looking like a 2005 production start at the earliest.

Ford, meanwhile, is considering other assignments, and Spielberg is likely to move on to another project.

I hate to post bad news, but it happens.  Remember folks, anything can happen, nothing is set in stone, but this is a delay that will push the release date back some.  You must expect delays when we're dealing with a film such as this when everyone involved is wanting to make the best movie they can.  We'll do our best to investigate this situation and find out what's going on.  Stay tuned...

To read the full article go here.  Thanks to Coming Soon! and Paul for the news.

 

Venue Magazine Parodies Indiana Jones
Feburary 4th, 2004 | Posted by Aaron

Canyon has alerted me to an interested article in Bristol and Bath's Venue Magazine.  The British magazine's February 2004 cover features a parody of Indiana Jones, just in time for Valentines day.  It sports a cartoon of Indiana Jones holding a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates and features a cover article entitled, Raiders of the Lonely Hearts.  We'll try and find some more information for you on the magazine article.

Thanks to Canyon for the info!

 

Creator of the Indiana Jones Trailers Dies
Feburary 4th 2004 | Posted by Aaron

A report from Empire Online comes in this morning with some sad news, as one of Hollywood's great unsung heroes passes away.  Andrew J Kuehn, the man behind the Theatrical Trailers for man of the Steven Spielberg films such as Jaws, E.T. and the Indiana Jones Trilogy died at the age of 66 from cancer this past Thursday.  From Empire Online:

'A trailer is two or three minutes long - about the length of a song - and I think of trailers as songs,' the mini movie maestro once told The New York Times. And if trailers were songs, Kuehn was also a snappy lyricist, coining the phrase, 'Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water', for the lamentably bad Jaws 2.

'A trailer has but one goal,' Kuehn once explained, 'to draw audiences out of their houses and into a theatre. To do that you have to set up a sense of urgency.' So that's what the man did, coming up with the trailers for such classics as E.T., Star Wars, Aliens, Back To The Future and the entire Indiana Jones trilogy.

A truly sad lose to Hollywood.  Kuehn was known as 'Hollywood's King of Trailers' and though his name might not be recognized by everyone on the street, his work will not go unnoticed.

For the full article from Empire Online, go here.  Thanks to Spielbergfilms for the link.