Filmstalker: Indiana Jones 4 script approved

So the announcement is here. Again. George Lucas, loosely termed "Director" in the story, says that the fourth Indiana Jones will start filming next year and the script has been finalised.

From the story in the BBC:

Lucas said he and Steven Spielberg had recently finalised the script, and promised it was "the best one yet".
Actor Harrison Ford will return as the titular star of the film, which is due to hit cinemas in May 2008.

Well I'm sceptical. Frank Darabont spoke of how Spielberg loved his script and was ready to go, but the bags of artistic talent that is Lucas said no. There's been loads of on and off about the script, and I'm really dubious about how well this is all going to turn out.

One aspect is the age of the characters. Harrison Ford is now 64, and while it's great he's still working, his last action outing in Firewall (Filmstalker review) was a complete farce. I have serious doubts that he can be the focus of another Indy film without him bowing to the role that Sean Connery took in the Last Crusade and letting someone younger take the stronger more physical role he played.

However, maybe he can pull it off, maybe there's something special there in the script that's been through years and years of rewrites, but forgive me if the Lucas sanction doesn't really make me think it's going to be wonderful.

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If they make Harrison Ford play a 64 year old Indiana Jones, then the age factor shouldnt really be an issue.

Posted by: Simone | December 30, 2006 12:20 PM

Don´t ask me why, but this news makes me glad.

Posted by: Peter | December 30, 2006 3:19 PM

You can’t help, but feel they left this one just a bit too late; I’m looking forward to it, but with apprehension.

There are very few franchises that delivered the big screen fun that Indiana Jones did, so I really hope they can capture that magic again.

Posted by: feral cat | December 30, 2006 6:15 PM

I weep at the idea of such a film....The should have let the title of the third film say it all and everyone move onto to original projects...the last thing I want Spielberg to do is waste his time with sequels...wasn't THE LOST WORLD enough? And if Lucas directs ouch...everything will be stunted dialogue and bad cgi.

Posted by: Triflic | December 30, 2006 9:14 PM

My mind says no but my heart says Hell Yes!

If Stallone can do it for Rocky, then who knows?

Although I have to say that recently Ford has looked like a miserable old guy and I think it's been reflected in his performances for a good couple of years now.

Posted by: Matt Holmes | December 31, 2006 8:44 AM

One thing and one thing alone keeps my hopes up for the release of this film: The fact that all the stunts and effects in the first three were done using old Hollywood adventure serial methods to make the Indiana Jones films feel authentic. I can't see Lucas abandoning this principle now.

He may not have had fancy CGI at his disposal at the time, but ILM had already developed some groundbreaking effects techniques for Star Wars that he and Spielberg completely ignored during the production of the first three films. I seriously doubt this one will be the mess of effects that the Star Wars prequels turned out to be.

Having Lucas direct however, definitely raises an eyebrow. I'd rather Spielberg did it.

Posted by: ISO100 | December 31, 2006 9:01 PM

ISO100: You are ever so tactful. ;)

Posted by: Simone | January 1, 2007 2:02 AM

Oh yes, tact is my middle name.

And by "tact", I mean "Michael".

Posted by: ISO100 | January 1, 2007 6:20 PM