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The Fort Knox-esque security apparatus of the Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was breached yesterday when thieves snatched a cache of computers, photographs and proprietary information from the production, Variety reports.
While there's no official word on what exactly was stolen, the somewhat reliable IESB.net reports that the cache included "Over 2000 production stills, plenty of sensitive paperwork including a complete production budget breakdown, (and) possibly the script."
While the theft is unsettling, it's encouraging to receive confirmation that the movie does actually have a script.
Update: ReelzChannel's Dailies is getting to the bottom of the situation. Video clip attached.
Posted 10.03.07 by reelz -
According to the New York Post's not always reliable Page 6, a castmember from the upcoming fourth installment of the Indiana Jones flick has been nixed from the final cut (and likely blacklisted from the industry for all eternity) after spilling the beans on some major plot points.
The actor, Tyler Nelson, was to play a Russian Soldier Dancer in the movie. During an interview with his hometown newspaper in Indiana, he let go of the following reveals:
POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT!
- Indy and the Soviets are searching for a crystal skull in the South African jungles. That one we pretty much knew.
- Indy is taken hostage by the Russians, who blackmail him by threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend, Marion Ravenwood, who is also the mother of Indy's child, played by Shia Lebeouf.
- Cate Blanchett is an evil Russian who interrogates a bound up Indy.
Word is that Nelson's scenes have been cut from the film already and that Spielberg is fuming. Probably not the person you'd want to piss off in this business?
Posted 09.25.07 by reelz -
Much to everyone's surprise, Steven Spielberg did NOT show up at Comic-Con to promote Indiana Jones 4.
Although suspicions were aroused when Reelz tipsters let us know that Spielberg's entire first production unit on Indy 4 left Hawaii (where they were filming) for Southern California several days ahead of schedule, the director did not make the surprise appearance at Comic-Con that was so eagerly anticipated.
Instead, the Indy 4 panel showed pre-taped footage of Spielberg from the movie set, where he was then joined by cast members Harrison Ford, Ray Winstone, and Shia LaBeouf.
So what's the big news on Indy 4? The character of Marion Ravenwood (played by Karen Allen in Raiders of the Lost Ark) will make an appearance in the movie!
Posted 07.26.07 by reelz -
Reelz.com has learned that the crew of the much-anticipated fourth Indiana Jones movie is now back on the mainland, returning days ahead of schedule after three weeks of shooting on the big island of Hawaii.
While Indy 4's second unit will remain in Hawaii until Mid-August, director Steven Spielberg and his first unit are back in southern California, where they'll conclude the final stage of principal photography at Paramount's Hollywood headquarters.
The timing of the crew's early arrival, which happens to fall on the eve of the opening of the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con, is mighty curious. Could Spielberg and pals be planning a "surprise" appearance at this year's convention? And might they possibly be bringing some advance footage with them? Hmmmm....
We'll keep you posted.
Posted 07.22.07 by reelz -
Master of the fast-talking verbal volley Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) has signed a deal with DreamWorks to write The Trial of the Chicago Seven--a drama bout the conspiracy trials of Abbie Hoffman and the other anti-war protesters wrapped up in the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots. Sounds right up his alley.
Steven Spielberg will potentially direct.
Source: Yahoo! News.
Posted 07.13.07 by reelz -
The man with the hat is back... again.
Production on the fourth installment of the beloved Indiana Jones franchise is off and running, with a release slated for May 22, 2008.
Today the first image of Harrison Ford as Indy surfaced from the set. As it turns out, the photographer was none other than director Steven Spielberg.
Click here to check out a giant version of the image!
Posted 06.25.07 by reelz -
Saw Transformers on Friday. It rocked. In a summer packed with big-budget tentpole flicks, this is the first among them that truly feels like an event.
Director Michael Bay has raised the bar for the summer blockbuster, crafting a mind-blowing visual effects experience rivaled perhaps only by 300. But whereas Zack Snyder's film presented a hyper-stylized, heavily green-screened reality, Bay's version is firmly entrenched in the real world, with the computer animation integrated almost seamlessly into the live-action footage. Nary a single green-screen shot can be found in the film. When a giant robot collides into a freeway overpass or tumbles through the streets of downtown Los Angeles, it looks and feels authentic.
Bay has had his share of critics (myself among them) who questioned several key departures from the original Transformers canon, but when Peter Cullen (who plays Autobot leader Optimus Prime) first speaks during the opening credit sequence, suddenly the fact that they gave Prime lips or turned Bumblebee into a Camaro seem entirely irrelevant.
To Bay's credit, it's obvious throughout the film that he did everything possible to stay true to the original TV series while making the movie as modern and believable (and relatable to non-fanboys) as possible.
The first two thirds of the film maintain a very tongue-in-cheek tone, an approach mandated by the inherently absurd premise. Several times the filmmakers wink at the audience, as if to say, "Yeah, we know this is ridiculous too, but just go with it." The last third of the movie, however, is all big-budget spectacle, with ample robot-on-robot action and tons of stuff blowing up (a Bay trademark).
While the film is not without its glaring flaws (which I'll explore later this week in a more detailed review), it's the first movie I've seen in a long time that can honestly be labeled Spielberg-esque. (And when I say Spielberg-esque, I'm not talking about Amistad.) It's one of those movies that demands to be experienced in a theater; a 15-inch laptop screen will simply not do it justice.
Transformers has the potential to be for adult and young-adult males what Titanic was for teenage girls: an experience warranting multiple repeat viewings. It's by far the most entertaining action film I've seen this summer.
Posted 06.17.07 by reelz -
While that headline might not exactly sound very sexy, it looks to be true. The New Haven Register is reporting today that Indiana Jones 4 will be shooting a sequence on Chapel Street in New Haven, Connecticut.
According to the article, the scene will be a car chase running between College and High Streets. The Register goes on to report that a pre-production crew for Indy 4 visited the city last week to discuss the shoot with shop owners in the area.
A spokesman for Spielberg, Marvin Levy, has confirmed the report. Exact details aren't yet finalized, but word is that Indy will likely hit Connecticut in late June. As a resident of the state of Connecticut from 2000-2003, I hope he's not as bored there as I was.
Posted 05.15.07 by reelz -
Shooting has yet to begin on the fourth Indiana Jones film and fans already have cause to worry. In a recent interview with MTV News, one-time Indy 4 screenwriter Frank Darabont spoke of his much-publicized troubles with producer George Lucas:
"I spent a year of very determined effort on something I was very excited about, working very closely with Steven Spielberg and coming up with a result that I and he felt was terrific. He wanted to direct it as his next movie, and then suddenly the whole thing goes down in flames because George Lucas doesn't like the script." 
Some speculate that the rift began when Darabont ignored Lucas's request for Indiana to be paired with a Jamaican-accented, CGI-animated sidekick. Lucas, having already contracted with Hasbro to sell a line of toys based on the new character, was left with no choice but to fire Darabont.
Allegedly.
Posted 04.18.07 by reelz