After a long script-writing process for “Indiana Jones 4″ that he told MTV News last spring was “a waste of a year,” celebrated director Frank Darabont wondered in November whether there would be any arbitration over credit, given how many of his own ideas seemed to find a way into David Koepp’s “Crystal Skulls.”
So we wondered: Now that the movie has been finished, will Darabont at last get to see his name on the big screen for an Indiana Jones adventure?
“Nope. Not on this one,” Darabont said when we caught up with him last week. “I know there are some common elements to what I gave Steven [Spielberg] and what was eventually shot, but I guess not enough to warrant credit. It’s clearly a disappointment, especially after Steven loved my script.”
In the Indy universe it’s the penitent man who passes, and for his part, Darabont bows down before Spielberg, saying he “wouldn’t hesitate to work with Steven again.”
The same can’t be said of George Lucas, however, who has probably seen the last of the “Shawshank” scripter. Would Darabont ever consider, for instance, working on the new “Star Wars” television series slated to hit airwaves in 2010?
“Honestly our storytelling sensibilities have diverged to the point where that would be a pointless exercise,” he said of Mr. Lucas.
Scripts get rejected all the time. He sounds like he needs thicker skin.
It's more than getting paid. It's the principles behind it. Spielberg liked Frank's Indy script, Lucas didn't. And I do question Lucas' taste.
It's like you're working really hard at a retail place, and you don't get credit from the managers, while the 'kiss-ass' get the glory. Samething. You and the 'kiss-ass' are getting paid the same, but you're left in the cold.
I find it strange too, that Jeff Nathanson shares story credit with Lucas?? He was hired after Darabont's script was rejected. I say give the man the credit he deserves.
Meanwhile, Frank Darabont is proving himself to be one of the biggest whiners Hollywood has ever seen. Apparently the Writer's Guild of America has weighed in on this, since a billing block has been issued and looks final. And guess what? His own union determined, after reading all submitted scripts, that Frank Darabont does not deserve credit.
He can take credit for "The Mist" and for "The Majestic" and for that ultra-lousy "Frankenstein" remake all he wants. After all, he wrote those. Oh, yeah, and "The Fly II" and the remake of "The Blob." The WGA agreed he wrote those.
But the WGA says he didn't write "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
Strange that, eh?
Frank Darabont is also the guy who wrote "The Mist," "The Majestic," "The Fly II," "The Blob" and that astonishingly bad 1994 remake of "Frankenstein." Let him claim credit for those winners all he wants. The Writer's Guild of America agreed that he wrote 'em.
But the WGA, Darabont's own union (and the one to which George Lucas does NOT belong, oddly), read all of the scripts and likely held its own investigation before determining the final writing credits. Now they're out, and Darabont's still complaining. The WGA says you didn't write it, Mr. Darabont. They represent YOU, not George Lucas. And they don't agree with you. Case closed. Or so I'd think.
The Lucas haters will always believe Darabont wrote this movie, no matter WHAT anyone says. But someone, somewhere, liked the "Star Wars" prequels to the tune of billions of dollars around the world. Someone, somewhere saw the movies many, many times, and apparently liked them enough to go back and buy them on DVD. Whether YOU think they're good, many millions of people did. So, Darabont's "storytelling sensibilities have diverged" from George Lucas'? I dunno ... if I had to guess, based on past history, who'd write a better "Indiana Jones" story and would know a good "Indiana Jones" script when he sees it, I guess my money would be on that guy with the silver pompadour.
Darabont's clearly not averse to kissing Spielbergs arse and he hasn't made a good action flick since temple of doom.
Come on man, it's a business. Didn't Lucas help you get started with the Young Indiana Jones t.v. pics. Where would you be without that? Lucas didn't like your script, sorry. Life isn't fair sometimes. I guess the next time someone writes a script for you and you don't like it...too bad, I guess you'll just have to live with it and use it.
Your films haven't been perfect. Some have been great, some plain terrible. That Jim Carrey one you did...worst movie ever.
Take it like a man, say you gave it your best and then tip your hat. Don't cry like a baby.
Lucas has directed that much...
Lucas Directing credits Are THX-1138, Star Wars, American Graffitti, SW-TPM, SW-AOTC, SW-ROTS.
That is all he has ever directed. One is a cult classic, two are in the top 100 greatest movies of all time. Revenge of the sith I thought was a very good flick and the other two prequels where pretty shaky with some cool moments. So In my view the guy is 4 for 6. Pretty darn good average if you ask me.
The guy created Indiana Jones, ILM, sold Pixar to Steve Jobs after starting that. Lucas takes chances and is a very good idea guy. Nobody can argue with that. So why all the hate?
Because he has made so much money?
It's just that George Lucas is expected to marvel and wow every single living person (or at least fanboy) on the planet with everything he does. Yeah, George produced "Howard the Duck." And Spielberg isn't perfect, either. But Darabont just tries to push the "Lucas is a hack, Spielberg is a god" line over and over. Whatever. Time for Frank Darabont to go make another middling, overlong movie.
One note about George Lucas resigning from the WGA and DGA -- can you imagine the "Star Wars" movies with full credits up front? That's what the DGA and WGA insisted needed to be done on "The Empire Strikes Back." Lucas had dug himself into a major debt hole to finance that movie himself, outside of the studio system, then the guilds came in and tried to mess with it -- and charged him a lot of money as a "fine" in order to let him proceed. Frankly, I'd resign, too. These are the guilds that were supposed to represent HIM!
If you can indeed imagine and approve of the image of "Star Wars" movies with a full set of opening credits, without an "iris out" to the "Directed By" credit at the end, you can imagine more than I can! (And make no doubt, George's actions paved the way for many other directors to achieve the same sort of dramatic impact with their films. His "sacrifice" is one many people forget.)
The reason Indy 4 has a chance is because Steven is directing and Koepp wrote the script. We'll see.
I mean, Soccerfan says Lucas can't write then praises the original franchise? Well duh! He WROTE the original film dopey!
The films (ALL the films) are some of the most entertaining and varied pulp fun ever made, not a religion, not some untouchable canon, just great, fun films.
The starwars prequels and the latest indy installment both lacked character, their were brainless and had a storyline a 3 year old could write.(by the way SW episode 3 s****d bigtime to my opinion)
He just makes up a lot of characters with absolutely no backstory and/or depth;
Count dooku,darth maul,jarjar,mace windu, mac(indy 4),spalko, ravenwood, addler even the main characters lack depth.
Whilest in the old movies he had a couple of main characters and wove them in the storyline as much as possible which made the movie enjoyable.
By the way i don't care if lucas makes billions of dollars, i just hope he realizes the last movies he made are to me a great disappointment.....