Here’s a quote from the throat of filmmaker/Gungan George Lucas in regards to his fabled Indiana Jones franchise and its future on the planet Earth:
“The franchise really depends on me coming up with a good idea,” Lucas
said. “And that series is very research-intensive. So we’re doing
research now to see if we can’t come up with another object for him to
chase … hopefully we’ll come up with something.“
Yeah. That’s one way to put it.
As if anything depends on George Lucas having a good idea. He’s Oz. What he wants to happen pretty much happens and whether the idea is good or not seems irrelevant.
Despite making well over three-hundred million dollars domestically, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a failure. A dud. Just like the Prequels. They have their fans and they made a ton of money but when all the chips are counted and people have had time to sit back and remember, they’re hollow experiences. The true definition of popcorn movies, ones which sit inside you and expand and take up space only to leave you craving something of substance once its out of your system. Empty calories. Vaporware rendered only useful when coupled with the memories and nostalgia of their audience.
Who really wants another Indiana Jones film that doesn’t have a financial stake in them?
It’s not about a good idea. It’s not even about Harrison Ford’s availability. It certainly isn’t about Steven Spielberg, the only one in the trio who seemed to be doing the gig out of obligation and someone who George Lucas seemingly treats as a subservient. I firmly believe that Spielberg went into the last Indiana Jones film with the noblest of intentions, foiled at every turn by George Lucas and his +2 Hammer of Bad Decisions. Either way, the film was unnecessary and it tarnished a very solid trilogy. It shouldn’t have happened at all and that anyone is talking about future Indiana Jones ventures is a joke.
Which is why Lucas’s comments aren’t about future films about Indiana Jones. It’s spin. There will never be another one and if there’s any sort of spin-off it certainly won’t have the cachet to make it a tentpole film.
It’s spin.
Now George Lucas can make it seem like folks are clamoring for more and have the scapegoat denial in his back pocket.
“I don’t have a good enough idea for it.”
THAT’s why there’s no more Indiana Jones. Not because the cinematic equivalent of the Eagles reunion tour scuttled all the goodwill and fan affection, but because the idea’s not good enough. The events of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are good enough but whatever other idea he has isn’t?
It’s like when a kid falls down and scrapes his knee and says “I meant to do that”.
George, you’ve stuck a shiv in all your wonderful and seemingly impervious franchises and broke it off at the hilt. Sometimes it’s nice to just say “I fucked up” and own it.