FAQ for
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Indy: "The legend says that a crystal skull was stolen from a mythical city in the Amazon, supposedly built out of solid gold. It's guarded by the living dead, but who ever returns the skull to the lost city temple will be given control of its power."

Irina: "You will help us find it. A simple yes will do" "Well, we will do this the old fashioned way"

Indy to Mac: "Put your hands down will ya? You're embarrassing us"

Indy to Mutt: "Don't touch anything"

Mutt to Indy: "Get on" (in the motorcycle)

Indy to Mutt: "Come on genius"

Mutt to Marion in the car: "What is he going to do now?"

Marion to Mutt: "I don't think he plans that far ahead" (wink to Raiders)

Indy with bazooka: "I would cover my ears if I were you."

MPAA mandated Trailer alterations aside... 10.10.07 "...the effects work was approximately seventy percent practical and thirty percent CGI, although the computer-generated work will be obvious."- Steven Spielberg http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=6127&count=0

In an interview with producer Frank Marshall, we learned that "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" might not be very reliant on CGI magic. Here's what Frank Marshall had to say:

"Steven Spielberg is very aware of the process and we're not cheating with CG (computer graphics) at all," Frank Marshall said. "It keeps the B movie feel."

This would also include the nasty 'CGI Whip Insurance Mandate Rumor' started by British Tabloids.

Apparently there were some minor adjustments that they made, for the MPAA approved US general trailer viewing audiences, to remove some weapons.

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3825/cgipants1la6.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/1336/cgipants2cj6.jpg

This French video describes all the differences between the US and International versions as well. http://www.dailymotion.com/Rialeb/video/7386668

This idea started when one of the filming sets was rumored to be 'Area 51'. Even though there is heavy Alien Lore surrounding this US location; it is also merely a Goverment Aircraft Testing Facility. Indy battling 'little green men' was also the basis of a faux Indy 4 Script that circulated the internet several years ago.

Recently, rumors of Spielberg using some of his Alien props from Close Encounters in this film- have been making the rounds on the internet.

This could be just like the "Star Wars" nods in the other films; having nothing to do with the plot of the film.

Most recently Frank Marshall mentioned this concerning the Crystal Skulls: ""The theory is they are shaped by higher powers or alien powers or came from another world, or an ancient Mayan civilization had the powers."

George Lucas also reported this in a recent Vanity Fair interview: "What it is that made it perfect was the fact that the MacGuffin I wanted to use and the idea that Harrison Ford would be 20 years older would fit. So that put it in the mid-50s, and the MacGuffin I was looking at was perfect for the mid-50s. I looked around and I said, Well, maybe we shouldn't do a 30s serial, because now were in the 50s. What is the same kind of cheesy-entertainment action movie, what was the secret B movie, of the 50s? So instead of doing a 30s Republic serial, were doing a B science-fiction movie from the 50s. The ones Im talking about are, like, "Creature from the Black Lagoon," "The Blob," and "The Thing." So by putting it in that context, it gave me a way of approaching the whole thing. "

Roswell, New Mexico has some kind of reference in the film showing up on a sort of 'magnetic' box in the teaser. http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/9278/indy4zu6.jpg

We don't actually know for sure about anything alien yet until we see the film.

Some recent leaked product tie-ins reveal this SPOILER: http://img236.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cee612su4.jpg

Yes. The metal box the Russians hunt for at the beginning of the film contains the corpse of an alien. There are alien entities with crystal skulls, with one entity missing the skull. After the skull is restored at the climax of the film, the entities eventually merge into one "alien", which has quite the standard alien (CE3K) look. It is explicitly stated that the aliens are not from outer space, but from another dimension.

Frank Marshall revealed Indy's 'travel plans': "New Mexico, Connecticut, Mexico City and the jungles of Peru."

These are also very likely going to be three of the major scenes in the movie. (portrayed in LEGO versions) http://www.brickset.com/detail.aspx?Set=7625-1 http://www.brickset.com/detail.aspx?Set=7626-1 http://www.brickset.com/detail.aspx?Set=7627-1

And here is one scene in non toy format showing some kind of temple. http://www.theraider.net/films/indy4/gallery/screens/ij4_04.jpg

We know about some college campus scenes which will include some sort of chase with Indy and Shia on a motorcyle. There have also been reports of a 'River Chase' scene.

This new pic suggests a nice action scene as well. http://bp0.blogger.com/_XOd9319e0dw/R6DIF8VrPuI/AAAAAAAAAwM/fvfpt065hks/s1600-h/indynewsopener.jpg

Along with some Spalko and Shia sword action here. http://www.theraider.net/films/indy4/gallery/screens/ij4_07.jpg

Some Italian Mag pics leaked with some possible new scenes as well. http://www.badtaste.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view& id=3010&Itemid=44

A new pic shows a fight in an amphibious vehicle: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20182648,00.html

As revealed in the teaser Indy gets captured as well at one point. http://www.empireonline.com/magazine/large.asp?5

Shia punches Spalko: http://a947.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/19/l_ff2674cc3c450373df6 3eea4c719d312.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/ now has the full track listing of the score titles: 1. Raiders March 2. Call of the Crystal 3. The Adventures of Mutt 4. Irina's Theme 5. The Snake Pit 6. The Spell of the Skull 7. A Whirl Through Academe 8. The Journey to Akator 9. "Return" 10. The Jungle Chase 11. Orellana's Cradle 12. Grave Robbers 13. Hidden Treasure and the City of Gold 14. Secret Doors and Scorpions 15. Oxley's Dilemma 16. Ants! 17. Temple Ruins and the Secret Revealed 18. The Departure 19. Finale http://www.amazon.com/Indiana-Jones-Kingdom-Crystal-Skull/dp/B00171MNM4

This site keeps tabs on all the latest product tie-ins and publicity mag photos deatiling scenes from the movie as well: http://kotcs.blogspot.com/

The offical John Williams score track listing does mention "City of Gold" as well as the new trailer; and if you look at the top picture of the mask on http://www.indianajones.com/site/index.html and then do some research here:http://www.novica.com/itemdetail/index.cfm?pid=125453; it's the same mask.

We can see there might be elements of both the City of Gold and the Fountain of Youth in the film.

George Lucas talks about the Crystal Skull relic 06/10/07, 7:40pm EST

Filmmaker George Lucas recently admitted in a video clip by http://www.mtv.com/ that he has been obsessed with these antique crystal skulls ever since he began doing research for The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles TV-series that premiered in 1992. Here follows an excerpt from the http://www.mtv.com/ article:

"We did The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and in the process of that, one of the scripts we were working on was about a crystal skull. I became fascinated with it there," George Lucas revealed Wednesday on the red carpet for the American Film Institute's 40th anniversary at the ArcLight. "We've been through lots of different versions the last 14 years, with five different writers. There's just a lot of aspects that seem to fit into our kind of a movie."

"I think this is actually better, it's up there with the Ark of the Covenant," he declared of the fourth film's "McGuffin" (a term coined by Alfred Hitchcock to describe an object which drives a film's plot). "Sankara Stones and the Holy Grail were a little tough, but I think this time we've really got a great one."

George Lucas emphasized that "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is shaping up to be the best Indy flick since the first one, even going so far as to call "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" tonally most like "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

Believers of the "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" attribute all sorts of abilities to them; ranging from the skulls being psychic amplifiers to tools of death to repositories of ancient knowledge.

http://www.theraider.net/news/fullstory_indy4.php?id=335

Even though this doesn't seem to be an established lore or myth type artifact; such as the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail-There has been literature written on the subject and actual Mayan/Aztec artifacts of this nature found. Which also explains why Aztec/Mayan pyramids have been placed at Indiana Jones fan conventions, Comic-Con, etc. This is an interesting documentary on the subject, which also mentions Atlantis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwrGQuFyRDQ Also these reports: http://skepdic.com/crystalskull.html

This is an amateur video of the ride in Disney Tokyo of the same name. Take this interpretation of with a grain of salt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDuasAQMynQ

George Lucas told Empire in August 2006: "I discovered a MacGuffin. I told the guys about it and they were a little dubious about it, but it's the best one we've ever found. ... Unfortunately, it was a little too 'connected' for the others. They were afraid of what the critics would think. They said, 'Can't we do it with a different MacGuffin? Can't we do this?' and I said 'No.' So we pottered around with that for a couple of years. And then Harrison Ford really wanted to do it and Steven Spielberg said, 'Okay.' I said, 'We'll have to go back to that original MacGuffin and take out the offending parts of it and we'll still use that area of the supernatural to deal with it.'"

Another popular rumor: "The crystal skulls turn out to be alien skulls, underneath a Mayan or Aztec pyramid that takes off and thus reveals itself to be a mothership of sorts." http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3221&Itemid=99

Most recently Frank Marshall mentioned this concerning the Crystal Skulls: ""The theory is they are shaped by higher powers or alien powers or came from another world, or an ancient Mayan civilization had the powers."

LEGO has decided to represent them in this strange manner. http://toyfair08.asmzine.com/gallery/lego/indiana-jones/slides/IMG_9366.html

The crystal skulls have also appeared in several other movies; including "The Phantom," "House II: The Second Story" and "The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines."

The Dutch Federation for Cinematography (NFC) published a schedule with the running times of several films to be released in Holland. This might be accurate: 2 hours and 3 minutes. http://www.nfcstatistiek.nl/rel.htm

Early test screenings say the movie clocks in at a little over 2 hours and 20 minutes, this is still prior to it being chopped up for Cannes and its later theatrical release http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2008/04/140_minutes_plu.php

The British Board of Film Classification has listed a run time of two hours, two minutes and 20 seconds for the uncut UK release. http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/3cd388e14332242380257441005c74e5?OpenDocument].

Watch "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" again. The Knight told Indy after he drank from the Grail in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." "...the Grail cannot pass beyond the Great Seal. That is the boundary and the price of immortality" The old Knight that they encountered, had obviously been granted immortality, only by staying put.

So short answer, no.

More needless discussion has been debated about the story of the other two Knights that walked into the desert, "after dieing of extreme old age." whereas this is still irrevelent to immortality, it could be noted that the Grail could] merely grant good health and also grant some measure of lasting healing power once you leave the area pass the seal; noticed in the disappearing bullet wound of Sr.

But, will Indy be in good health and up to his death defying adventurous acts in this film? Yes.

**Actually, it seems to be implied that for one to gain immortality from the Grail, one must continuously drink from it for the rest of his or her life, so it must boost one's vitality, as the knights who died of extreme old age. The "Price of Immortality" that the Knight refers to, is that one must sit in that cave in a desert away from all civilization to reap its benefits. It is shown that Indy could have possibly retrieved the Grail had his father not convinced him not to. The Grail didn't fall into the hole until Elsa knocked it in herself, so theoretically it COULD have passed the seal, and one COULD have been immortal, but since Indy did not continue to drink from it he is not immortal and just lives to an older age.

Edit: It is shown in this movie that Henry Sr. has died in the mid 1950's

It is from the soundtrack to 'Children of Dune' by Brian Tyler, and it is track number 4, called 'The Revolution'.

http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2007/09/indiana_jones_secrecy_foiled_b.php http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlLA/studio_film/indiana_jones_spoilers_leaked_67724.asp

Short and simple, he was an extra that broke his NDC (non-disclosure contract).

Although, since he never had a copy of the script, and the fact that the only plot points he verheard were: "Shia is Ford's son", "Karen Allen is in the film", "Russians capture Indy and dance around the fire, and they interrogate him (tieing him to a chair) and ask him about a Crucifix Skull"... basically the leak consisted of elements that were already known and elements that aren't true.

A spokesman for Steven Spielberg has been quoted in saying that "he (Tyler) will never work in this town again." The natural consequence of breaking a NDC.

The lawsuit against Nelson has been settled.

George Lucas came up with the McGuffin (the crystal skull), and is credited with writing the story. He also served as Executive Producer. According to Steven Spielberg, George Lucas was on set for a total of nine days. Although George Lucas suggested Steven Spielberg shoot the movie with digital, Steven Spielberg used film, as he has on all of his previous movies. http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=6127&count=0

Apparently they have been only filming in the US, most filming was shot in Hawaii. Here are some revealing set pictures. (might contain spoilers) http://www.hfm2.com/photopost1/showgallery.php/cat/932

This translates in the film as: New Mexico, Connecticut, Mexico City and the jungles of Peru. http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-12-09-indiana-jones_N.htm

Press release - Jan. 2, 2007 George Lucas, Harrison Ford and I are all very excited. We feel that the script was well worth the wait. We hope it delivers everything you'd expect from our history with Indiana Jones. - Steven Spielberg -

David Koepp's Credits: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0462895/

He comments on the writing: "I hope its along the lines of the first one, he said. Its certainly not as dark as the second one and its certainly not as humor driven as the third one. Hopefully it will have its own place [but] its closest to [Raiders]." http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2007/12/05/indiana-jones-iv-writer-speaks-youve-just-got-to-hope-to-god-you-dont-screw-up/

No. Sean Connery is retired as of 2005 from acting. He confirmed on the official website of Indiana Jones that he was tempted to reprise the role.

"I get asked the question so often, I thought it best to make an announcement. I thought long and hard about it and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an Indiana Jones film. I love working with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, and it goes without saying that it is an honor to have Harrison Ford as my son. But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun."

His character in the movie is said to have passed away two years earlier.

The official website homepage does portray a crate with a very similar serial number to the serial number put on the crate holding the ark at the end of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and a large prop display of the ark in full size and another display of the ark in miniature on top of a Mayan type Pyramid appeared this year at comic-con with no explanation. But nothing has been confirmed if the ark does play a role in this film at all.

The official title has been anounced- "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull;" does not seem relative to anything Biblical; however we don't know for sure yet.

Some more new information/rumor talks about rebuilding/filming a 'warehouse set' similiar to "Raiders of the Lost Ark." http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34218

Some new promo pics show a similiar warehouse type setting as well. http://bp3.blogger.com/_XOd9319e0dw/R3vCC_8XSeI/AAAAAAAAAsM/HSDaT5MuCs0/s1600-h/INDY402.jpg

The Trailer shows an action sequence in a warehouse very similiar to the one at the end of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Though this may be a fan service and instead retrieving another artifact, as a magnetised crate marked "Roswell 1947" is shown. It is in fact, the warehouse from the end of the Raiders of the Lost Ark, and as a chase scene commences within the warehouse we see a glimpse of the Ark of the Covenant that was in a smashed box on the floor.

Jim Broadbent plays Dean Stanforth.

According to a Dark Horizons interview :

"I'm Indiana's academic colleague at Yale," Broadbent revealed. "I'm his friend and colleague - there's a couple of my scenes to go."

http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=5848&count=0

IESB posted a report that talked about both Shia LaBeouf and Harrison Ford signing on for more "Indiana Jones" films. In fact, Shia LaBeouf was rumored to be under contract for three more, while Harrison Ford was set to do two more, to round off the trilogy.

Now, http://www.mtv.com/ News has checked in with John Singh, director of publicity for Lucasfilm, who explained that "That's purely a rumor. Idle chatter among Internet fans."

Most are not convinced that John Singh is being completely truthful. There was the sound of finality in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." Even though it sounds a bit ridiculous for Harrison Ford to keep making Indy films at the age of 65, studios are notorious for locking in their actors, just in case the film is a big success. http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=4908

Most recently in a Vanity Fair interview Steven Spielberg had this to say:

Q: Is that leaving room open for another one? A: Oh, I dont know. I havent even thought about that. Im still in the cutting room. I cant even think beyond the next cut. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/02/spielberg_qanda200802?currentPage=3

In an interview recently in Entertainment Weekly George Lucas does not rule out a fifth Indy film...

EW: Are you going to do another Indy film after this one? GL: "That I don't know. We do these one at a time and we do it purely for the fun of it, which means if we have too many things going on - Steven Spielberg has a couple of movies going on, he's got Chicago Seven, he's got all this stuff backed up for years- who knows?

Harrison Ford tells USA Today that "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" might not be the character's final film appearance - if George Lucasand Harrison Ford can get get their asses in gear and have a fifth "Indiana Jones" film ready soon - rather than in another twenty years - Harrison Ford says he'd consider playing the Man in the Hat again. http://mymoviesdatabase.blogspot.com/2008/04/ford-would-consider-fifth -indiana-jones.html

George Lucas has revealed to FoxNews that there is more than a strong possibility that there will be a fifth "Indiana Jones" movie. Apparently, Steven Spielberg has left the door open for a sequel to "Indiana Jones 4."

"I haven't even told Steven or Harrison [Ford] this," he said. "But I have an idea to make Shia [LaBeouf] the lead character next time and have Harrison come back like Sean Connery did in the last movie. I can see it working out."

"And it's not like Harrison is even old. I mean, he's 65 and he did everything in this movie," Lucas continued. "The old chemistry is there, and it's not like he's an old man. He's incredibly agile; he looks even better than he did 20 years ago, if you ask me."

The odds of Marcus Brody's return are unlikely due to the death of the actor (Denholm Elliott) who portrayed him. However, most likely as a reference to Marcus, "Brody's Barbershop" has been identified in a production shot of a set for the fourth film. Additionally, a portrait of Brody will hang in the hall of the archeology department at Marshall College. There is also a large statue in the university grounds of Marcus Brody, which is consequently rammed into by the Soviets.

Although this might be a matter of opinion, here's a quote fromHarrison Ford himself that says it all (dated from November 2002): "What astonishes me," Harrison Ford says, "is that people can't imagine Indiana Jones aging at all. Why expect any character to be frozen in time? The appeal of Indiana Jones isn't his youth but his imagination, his resourcefulness... His physicality is a big part of it, especially in the way he gets out of tight situations. But it's not all hitting people and falling from high places. My ambition in action is to have the audience look straight in the face of a character and not at the back of a capable stunt man's head. I hope to continue to do that, no matter how old I get."

Producer Kathleen Kennedy backs him up with a quote that was recorded in July 2005: "No, I don't think so. Certainly we're not writing the script as though he's twenty years old. You know, Sean Connery spent a lot of time in the Bond role and whatnot. I think its great that we can go make another Indiana Jones movie and Indy can be a little older. I think playing with that is a good thing."

And in October 2006 Harrison Ford said the following during a press conference: "I feel fit to continue and bring the same physical action."

Total Film magazine asked Harrison Ford (in October 2002) what he would do when Steven Spielberg decided Harrison Ford was too old for the part. Here's what Harrison Ford answered: "If Steven Spielberg and George Lucas tried to replace me, first I'd tell them to go fuck themselves. Then I'd kill them!"

10th October 2007: With filming almost wrapped Steven Spielberg remarked how great it was to have Harrison Ford back and how amazed he was that he did the majority of his own stunts. He said looking back to the last film, which was eighteen years ago, he couldn't tell the difference between the action star from then to now because he's still that good.

No. John Rhys-Davies will not return as Sallah. According to George Lucas the adventure does not see Jones go to the Middle East therefore Sallah isn't needed in this film.

1957: http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm newsid=18345975&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=590581&rfi=6 http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/02/lucas_qanda200802?currentPage=4

Also, it takes place nighteen years after the events in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," acknowledging to the real-life time span between the two movies.

Ray Winstone will now play the character George McHale, aka Mac. Spielberg revealed he'll be "an unethical rival archaeologist." http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-12-09-indiana-jones_N.htm Frank Marshall added that Mac and Indy ""are friends, but the natural forces of greed take over at some point".

With the return of Marion and the report that Cate Blanchet will be a villain; it seems likely Indy's flame this time around will be Marion Ravenwood again. We, obviously, don't know for sure as of yet. http://youtube.com/watch?v=3tBl6RaIcVE

The film ends with the marriage of Indy and Marion.

According the film's official website, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has been rated PG-13 in the United States for Adventure Violence and Scary Images. The film has recently been rated 12A in the UK for moderate action violence and scary scenes

Yes, he can be seen in the teaser. He will be playing a henchman of Cate Blanchett's character. Actors fluent in the Russian language were cast as Russian soldiers, so their accents would be authentic.

It's anybodys guess, some product placements connected to the film have suggested scorpions and ants. http://www.birthdaydirect.com/indiana-jones-game-p-15386.html?osCsid=4 835a131cecbce1ac8bcce08b07a0fb7 http://www.brickset.com/detail.aspx?Set=7626-1

The Score Track Listing also gives us some clues as well; including the above and, "Snake Pit".

The answer is yes according to this Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Spoilers. Before clicking through, do know it's a "Spoiler Page."

http://movieblog.ugo.com/index.php/movieblog/more/indiana_jones_and_the_kingdom_of_the_crystal_skull_spoilers/

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