Frank Darabont wants his writing credit for 'INDIANA JONES 4'
He doesn't hold a grudge any longer, but writer-director Frank Darabont still will fight for his due as the original scripter of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Seven months ago, he called his Indiana Jones 4 script "a waste of a year." Though approved by both director Steven Spielberg and star Harrison Ford, the screenplay submitted by three-time Oscar nominee Frank Darabont (The Green Miler) was rejected by, of all people, his Young Indiana Jones Adventures boss, executive producer George Lucas.
The story doesn't end there, however.
The writer-director of The Mist hasn't yet read the final script for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but Darabont now tells SHAWN ADLER of MTV News, "I keep hearing from people who are near the production, and they keep saying, ‘You know, they’re using more of your ideas here than you may have thought.’"
Indeed, everyone Adler has talked to has told him that the screenplays by Darabont and David Koepp (Spider-Man) are quite similar. The major difference, and rumored as the reason Lucas ditched Darabont's version, is the inclusion of Indy’s son, ultimately played by Shia LaBeouf (Transformers).
"That’s a whole new element that’s been brought in," said Darabont, whose ideas even extended to casting. He suggested actor John Hurt (Hellboy), though not for the role he ended up with in the film.
Despite all this evidence, Darabont is bracing himself for a fight with the studio over his writing credit.
But, though he may end up in arbitration, he insists it's just business now, and that it doesn't stem from his earlier, vocal personal resentment. "I don’t hold a grudge. Life is way too short for that. Let’s chalk it up to professional disappointment."
In the meantime, Darabont, now working on a new version of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, is excited about the return of the intrepid Doctor Jones to the big-screen. "I know Steven Spielberg is not going to disappoint us. He’s going to make a great movie. As a fan, I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I hope it turns out great."
[Thanks to Peter Sciretta @Slashfilm for the link.]