Indiana Jones 4: The Scripts That Weren't
by Tom Burns

[Disclaimer: Although this is an exploration of previous unused Indy 4 scripts, alleged storylines, and information that has appeared online over the years, the aggregated info MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS AND THEORIES about the franchise at large. If you don't want to speculate along with us, we urge you to TURN BACK NOW.]

Script: (Unsubstantiated) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Writer: George Lucas and David Koepp.... ALLEGEDLY

Authenticity: Weaker than weak. How about "flaccid"?

If you go to SuperShadow.com, you'll be introduced to SuperShadow, a man who claims to be "very close, personal friends with George Lucas" and alleges that his website "played a crucial role in the development of the Star Wars prequel trilogy." He even states that: "Lucas has acknowledged many times in public that SuperShadow is the best thing to ever happen to Star Wars" and that "SuperShadow.com is the official web site of George Lucas." (If you can find proof of ANY of these claims, then you're the real archeologist, not Dr. Jones.)

Mr. Shadow has created a formula that SUPPOSEDLY breaks down the plot of every Indiana Jones movie, and he claims to have detailed plot outlines for Indiana Jones 4 (and Indiana Jones 5 too!). The ONLY reason we're even mentioning this... ahem... "special" individual is that his plot summary has been re-pasted onto several message boards (with claims of its authenticity) and we don't want anyone unfamiliar with SS to be taken in by the... let's just say it... hoax.

The one thing you have to give SuperShadow credit for is his ability to take the tiny bits of information leaking out about the production and weave them into his flimsy narrative. If you've read the Vanity Fair article about Indy 4, saw some of the on-set photos from Yale, looked at the cast announcements, and read one or two interviews, you could've written a similar plot summary.

Basically, it claims that Abner Ravenwood, Indy's mentor and Marion's father, was even more interested in the Crystal Skulls than the Lost Ark, but apparently, he never mentioned it much. When Indy's colleague Hawthorne (Jim Broadbent's character) brings Indy a crystal skull to examine in the 1950s, the Russians kill Hawthorne and take the skull, leaving Indy and his student Mutt to track it down. The Commies capture Indy and Mutt and, by an AMAZING coincidence, they're also holding Marion, who admits that (unbeknown to ANYONE) that Mutt is Indy's son. It gets worse from there.

CONCLUSION:

Don't believe the hype. If you read online that someone's read a script for Indiana Jones 4, take it with a BIG, BIG GRAIN OF SALT. This is one of the most anticipated movies in YEARS, so you know that the security surrounding the project is airtight. (Well, except for the image debacle a few months ago... and the Russian dancer extra who ignored his non-disclosure agreement... never mind.) If you read anything about Indy and the Monkey King, Saucer Men, Sword of Arthur, Sons of Darkness, Lost City of Atlantis, or a Tomb of Ice - smile, nod, and check your calendar again. Memorial Day 2008 simply can't get here fast enough.