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September 5, 2008 8:38:49 PM CDT

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New 'Indy' Vexed Film Legends

Posted Jan 6, 08 3:34 PM CST in Arts & Living 

(Newser) – It seems like a sure thing: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, in on 13 of the 100 highest-grossing movies ever, revive the billion-dollar Indiana Jones franchise. But Lucas spent 15 years trying to convince Spielberg and Harrison Ford to do Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, due out May 22. Why the discord? It all came down to what Hollywood calls a MacGuffin, Vanity Fair reports.

That's film lingo for the thing that characters in a flick are after—like the lost ark. "The Ark of the Covenant was perfect," Lucas said. But after struggling to drum up new MacGuffins for two Indy sequels, "I was like, No more of these, baby. We’re done." Then one came to him, and a script by Spider-Man scribe David Koepp finally convinced Spielberg and Ford to sign on. Spoiler alert: Fans should think more 1950s sci-fi than 1930s action serial.

Source Vanity Fair

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In this undated promotional photo provided by Paramount Pictures, actor Harrison Ford comes face-to-face with a cobra in a scene from the first of four Indiana Jones adventure films, "Raiders of the Lost...   (Associated Press)
Director Steven Spielberg arrives for the 79th Academy Awards in this Feb. 25, 2007, file photo in Los Angeles. Spielberg will be presented with the Cecil B. DeMille trophy at the 65th annual Golden...   (Associated Press)
George Lucas arrives at AFI's 40th Anniversary Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)   (Associated Press)
Steven Spielberg, left, and George Lucas have seen their share of mega-grossing movies, and their fourth Indiana Jones collaboration is due in theaters May 22.   (Getty Images)
Steven Spielberg, left, and Harrison Ford have a generation of collaborations behind them, and the fourth in their Indiana Jones series is set to hit theaters in May.   (Getty Images)
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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull (new pics)   (Spirit3188 (YouTube))

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movie  • Hollywood  • Steven Spielberg  • Indiana Jones  • Harrison Ford  • George Lucas  • Shia LaBeouf


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