1) Bring back the Nazis: They’re Indy’s Lex Luthor. Communists, even seductive Pinkos with leather fetishes, simply don’t compare.
2) Call Lawrence Kasdan and Frank Darabont: Kasdan penned the original Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Darabont’s discarded script for the fourth film sounded a heck of a lot more promising than the ultimate plotline about…aliens.
3) Send Marion packing: No one was more thrilled for the Indiana-Marion reunion, but whatever chemistry they had in Nepal is long gone. Their slapstick scenes together in Crystal Skull set the wrong tone for the entire film.
4) I know it’s not going to happen (yet), but…Reboot. No Shia. No Harrison. Handpick a dashing young Indy, and show me his first adult adventure, his initial work with Abner Ravenwood, and his initial romance with Marion. Bridge the gap between The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and Temple of Doom (which chronologically is set before Raiders).
4a) Since I’ve already committed blasphemy, let me further suggest that future films might also benefit from a different director. “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage,” Indiana once said. Spielberg can still produce, but this franchise needs a jolt. Paging Christopher Nolan.
How did you feel about Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, PopWatchers? Would more father-son bonding and UFO intrigue in a fifth film please or offend you? Would you prefer the inevitable Indiana Jones reboot now? What young actor do you envision wearing that fedora and who would you like to see direct?
More on 'Indiana Jones'
Lisa Schwarzbaum's B-review of 'Crystal Skull'
'Indiana Jones 4' Q&A: Shia LaBeouf
Fact-checking 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'
Comments (1-30) of 123 Add your comment
If you watch the special features on Indy 4 you would be VERY surprised at how reluctant Steven Spielberg seemed to do this film. Lucas coaxed him the whole way. Spielberg really didn’t want to be doing it. They had the ‘ride into the sunset’ ending in 1989 and he was done. he didn’t even like the aliens. (Who did?) It looked like he got sick of Lucas begging and said ‘What the hell? I’m not doing anything and it shuts him up’
bring in Sean Patrick Flannery to reprise his role of Young Indy to do the Abner Ravenwood Story. Best idea of the bunch. It could even be partially in the past, and partially during the ‘present’ (post Kingdom) with Shia searching for something Young Indy never solved/found.
bring in Sean Patrick Flannery to reprise his role of Young Indy to do the Abner Ravenwood Story. Best idea of the bunch. It could even be partially in the past, and partially during the ‘present’ (post Kingdom) with Shia searching for something Young Indy never solved/found.
George Lucas has obviously lost his mind. The Star Wars debacle, Indy, what’s next? He’s surrounded by too many Yes Men.
Get J.J. Abrams to director: He is the new Spielberg.
The original Raiders is really the only good one to me. It was a great movie that happened to have some cool stunts in it. The others have been cool stunts with an obligatory story tacked on. There were some good elements in all of them, but for me, they just weren’t that good. Not to mention that not bringing Marion Ravenwood back was a huge mistake. I thought she was just as integral to Raiders as Indy was. The best part of the last one was that she was back, so if they make it, don’t send her anywhere, beef up her part. Just write a good story, if a scene calls for a cool stunt, great, but don’t force it.
I don’t get why folks didn’t like this “Indy”. Maybe because the Soviets aren’t a familiar enemy to my generation (20-30), so a lot of folks don’t know that mind control/telepathy and aliens seeding life on earth were actually big USSR areas of R&D. Maybe because people forgot that the very nature of the series is to be an homage to old pulps and serials like “Flash Gordon” – and judging by the vintage pulps I saw at art school and the “Flash Gordon” and other serials they used to air weekend mornings on TCM, “Crystal Skull” captured that perfectly. Maybe nostalgia for where they were in life when “Raiders” came out got in the way. Maybe it’s because, since “Batman Begins” and BSG were so good, everyone has this idea that fantasy/sci-fi/rebooted old stuff has to be made very dark in order to rock. Either way, I thought it was solid, tons of fun, a great addition to the series, and while a fifth is hardly necessary, I’m sure it’ll be enjoyable.
I actually enjoyed Crystal Skull, except for the alien nonsense. Up to that point it was pretty enjoyable despite the corniness.
I would love to see Christian Bale as Indy. Or Ryan Gosling.
They can use Shia ONLY if:
a. There are NO aliens, UFOs, or any outer space stuff
b. New director! Keep it fresh!
c. Indiana as “the old dad”??? NO!WAY!
d. I think that there needs to be a new romance with Shia’s character
But a whole new Indy actor would be awesome as well. I just hope that Indy 5 is better than the fourth (the fridge scene still makes me giggle.)
Cyrstal Skull was such a disaster. I can barely recall any of the film, except for my disappointment. If they have to do another one, make it less cartoonish.
I say NO to INDY 5, enough already. It’s time for something new, something original, & something FRESH! Keep the stories setting in the early 1940’s during World War 2. Team Indy up with Iconic Characters like Captain America, Wonder Woman, The Green Hornet, The Tuskeegee Airmen, or James Bond – see, the adventures could be endless. Mr. Lucas are you listening??? I hope so because I have an Indy Script waiting for you, heh!!!!
I agree with you in the sense that they should keep the setting in the 1940’s, and keep the Nazis as the main antagonists. They should also, in my opinion, keep with the Judeo-Christian/biblical relics as the main objective. Note how both Indie movies that had these two elements were amazing. Temple of Doom, and Crystal Skull… neither had these and both sucked wookie balls. So, keep with the biblical artifacts and Nazis, drop the commies, they’re not evil enough, and please for the love of all that is holy, don’t listen to Mr. Williams when he talks about doing the whole Scooby-Doo/Harlem Globetrotters matchup with iconic characters.
Reboot, with JJ Abrams at the helm, and with LOST’s Josh Holloway as Indy. He would do the role justice, and it would be the perfect big screen graduation for him after season 6 and last of LOST.
Why is everyone on an Abrams trip? He might be a good director, but I would be afraid that if he were making Indy 5, it would be way over-the-top. AND NO SHIA LEBUFF, or however you spell it. He is in everything. If he were the star of a fifth installment, it wouldnt be Indiana Jones, it would be the Continued Adventures of Shia Lebouff. I’m sick of it.
I thought I liked The Crystal Skull, until I tried to watch it a second time when it came out on DVD and promptly fell asleep. The whole tone of the movie felt off and I really didn’t think there was chemistry between any of the actors, including Shia and Harrison.
Garrett Hedlund would be a good choice for a younger Indy. He’s not that well known (yet) so he wouldn’t have any baggage from previous roles and he’s a great actor.
I’m with you, Jeff, especially on #2. Bring in some really *good* writers if Indy 5 is a fait accompli. When Lucas tries to write screenplays the dialogue is painful…there’s a reason ‘Empire’ is so much better than the original ‘Star Wars.’
Tell Lucas and Speilberg to stick with the “Supernatural” rather than science-fiction. The aliens thing made it terrible and dissapointing!
INDEED!
I still see Shia as the nerdy weird kid from the Disney’s Channel’s “Even Stevens”..also, the originial Indy films were enjoyable back in the day, but watching Harrison Ford barely able to run around while not being able to catch his breath had me and my boyfriend in fits of laughter. I mean, seriously…I know that there are stunt doubles in action movies, but clearly, you could see when they used one for Harrison..I thought it was pretty pathetic and ridiculous..he is too old to be running around like he is trying to re-live his youth.
I have a framed Raiders poster hanging prominently in my family room. Crystal Skull’s poster isn’t worthy enough to line the bottom of my birdcage. Such a HUGE disappointment and obvious money-grab. Shia swinging on vines with monkeys – and out pacing them – is the single worst moment of any any action movie ever.
It was knowledge… knowledge was their treasure!
*barf*
Yes, I would like to see an Indiana Jones 5, if they can make a good one. The first and third were great. The second one was terrible; a violent roller-coaster ride failed attempt to be like Gunga Din (1939).
Suggestions for Indy 5: In a flashback; have Sir Sean Connery and Dame Diana Rigg as Indy’s mother and father. Also, have Tom Selleck as a relative of Indy. Since the first one had a “flying wing” in it; have “flying saucer” shaped (Earth based) airplanes in them, similar to Charles Zimmerman’s Chance-Vought V-173/XF5U-1. The plot of the story could be Indy looking for evidence as to what happened to the lost colony of Roanoke, NC and finding treasure from a ship that ran aground due to a violent storm, many years ago.
I like the reboot idea. Then again, that’s probably because I just don’t really want to see anymore Indy movies in their current incarnation.
I’m a HUGE Indy fan, but I’m neither interested in a Shia LeBeouf-led Indy movie (go back to doing a good comedy or drama dude) nor am I interested in watching Spielberg and Lucas try to make up for “KOTCS” (which they would totally be doing). I don’t think “Skull” is terrible, but I think what if what Ryan said about Spielberg being reluctant to do it is true, then it certainly showed on screen.
As for the reboot, I’d get Nathan Fillion as young-ish Indy (“Castle” is not long for this world with the way ABC kills shows). Since Abrams and Nolan have their own franchises to worry about to realistically direct this thing, I’d go with someone like Brad Bird. I still say “The Incredibles” had some of the best action sequences of the past 20 years and I think he’s currently working on his first non-animated film, so why not?
Jeff – I am with you on option 4. Get rid of Shia, and rewind to an earlier period. Plenty of potential there.
The only Indiana Jones I ever really liked was the first one. Of course they’re going to a fifth one; they know they can make more money, and that’s what it’s all about. I’ll watch this one when it comes out and then forget about it, just like I’ve forgotten about the others..
…raped my childhood. Keep that bugger Lucas away from me! (And away from Indy!!!)
Squeel like a pig indy …squeal like a pig….REEEEEEEK! Southpark got it right. They raped Indiana jones…
Love how people think the alien storyline was totally unbelievable, but find melting faces, magic rocks, and a 700 year old knight completely plausible.
Thats because the TRUE Indiana Jones films, ie the original trilogy, had at the center religious/spiritual mysticism. Most people who believe in God (any god) would have an easier time accepting as plausable the power of ancient religious artifacts such as the Grail and the Ark of the Covenant than they would inter-dimensional beings. One draws its basis of believability from traditions and rituals and stories that people have heard for their entire lives and, if faithful, take as actual truth. The other comes from an esoteric idea akin to Quantum Theory and science fiction.
The power of religion is much easier to believe/understand for most than the power of sub-atomic, inter-dimensional mechanics.
I disagree about the marion comment. She was by far the best leading lady out of the first 3 films and it was nice to see her back in the spotlight with Indy, I always loved their rough relationship. The rest of the comments are definitely justified!
I’m all for a reboot, though it won’t happen. That’s the only way I could see it working again. Especially if you want Nazis back as the villains. Because, at that point in history, wouldn’t they have to be Illinois Nazis? (Cue Blues Brothers music…)
Or we could just let it go, enjoy the original Indy movies and come up with something original…oh, wait. I forgot. This is Hollywood. They can’t come up with something original.
As much as I like the reboot idea, as long as Harrison Ford is drawing breathe, no one else will ever play Indy in a film.
No aliens, please. Reboot would be good. No Shia LeBeouf either–he’s fine where he is in Transformers. Bring in fresh blood to write the story.
I think reboot is the best way to go. The reboots for Batman & Star Trek turned out great. Like you said, an early adventure, then bring back the Nazis. Auf Wiedersehen!