Obsessed With Film

Posted by Will Reynolds

A few years back Steven Spielberg was all set to direct a a little film called Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods.  The script for that movie, which both he and Harrison Ford loved, was written by Frank Darabont. Unfortunately for Frank, George Lucas decided to throw a massive spanner in the works by declaring it “not good enough”.

The project was trashed and Jeff Nathanson and David Koepp penned fresh drafts that got the film going again.

MTV Movies Blog reports (which I picked up at /Film) that Darabont will fight for a writing credit on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls despite not being involved in the movie for several years.

“I haven’t read the script, [but] at a certain point I will because I’m sure there will be an arbitration over writing credits,” he revealed. “I keep hearing from people who are near the production and they keep saying, ‘You know, they’re using more of your ideas here than you may have thought.’”

However don’t expect him to want anything to do with Shia LaBeouf’s character.

“That’s a whole new element that’s been brought in. Shia? I don’t remember writing that character,” Darabont said. “I did suggest to Steven that he cast John Hurt in this movie and I’m delighted that Mr. Hurt is a part of it. It’s not entirely the role I suggested him for … but I did suggest him.”

I would love to read Darabont’s Indy script; from what I’ve heard there are many elemens that carry over from his work, including the reintroduction of Karen Allen’s Marion Ravenwood.

Why not go through arbitration? Darabont stands a good chance of getting a “story by” credit at the very least, plus it wouldn’t exactly damage his stock in the business to be credited on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls.

source -/film, mtv movies blog

categories - Movie News

Further Reading

• Darabont sounding bitter over Indy IV

• It was stuck in THE MIST for Matt but you can finally find out what Frank Darabont is directing next!

• Frank Darabont

• Aliens in Indiana Jones’ future?

• Now that The Mist is getting clearer, has Darabont scored another ‘King’ home-run?

1 Comment »

1. Any time a hack like Lucas says your script isn’t good enough but Ford and Spielberg like it, you no the script was awesome.

   I still have yet to detect any credible directing or writing ability out of Lucas. Where is it? Why do they continue to allow this schmuck to make movies? Because he thought up (ripped off) Star Wars?

   Someone else should have manned this film.

   Wriker

   Comment by Wriker | November 14, 2007

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