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Excerpts From Our Current Issue!

Matinee Magic: David Koepp and Indiana Jones Enter the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

BY PETER N. CHUMO II

When Steven Spielberg, who directed Raiders of the Lost Ark as well as the two follow-up adventures in the series, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), called Koepp two years ago about writing a fourth installment, he had "to think and decide carefully." Not many screenwriters, after all, receive the opportunity to pen a chapter in a series whose first film inspired them to become a screenwriter in the first place. As Koepp succinctly puts it, "That kind of symmetry and circularity doesn't come along often in life, and I really didn't want to screw it up." Ultimately the offer was too tempting to pass up, especially since he and Spielberg had already successfully collaborated on Jurassic Park (1997) and War of the Worlds (2005). Because "we brought good stuff out of each other," Koepp concluded that he would "be crazy not to do this."

Embarking on this project meant reading material from 15 years of development and five writers—Jeb Stuart, Jeffrey Boam, Frank Darabont, Jeff Nathanson and George Lucas. Lucas, of course, conceived of the protagonist more than 30 years ago, and, along with Spielberg, has shepherded each adventure to screen. Koepp is modest about his achievement and does not think that everyone before him failed. Rather, he asserts that other writers all made important contributions to the development of the script. "You can learn more sometimes from a draft that misses wildly than from a draft that got really close," Koepp says. And, on a humorous but philosophical note, he adds, "Sometimes some poor bastard has to go down a road that will bear no fruit so that future generations don't." Koepp believes that he had "a combination of timing and a confluence of personalities" working in his favor. Building on their already solid working relationship, he and Spielberg were quickly "throwing ideas at each other that were sparking ideas in the other person."

Like what you just read? Read Peter Chumo's entire interview in the latest issue of Creative Screenwriting!

Holy Cash Cow! Superheroes are the New Boys of Summer
BY PETER CLINES

Like any adaptation, the job of adapting comic books presents its share of dangerous mistakes—and a legion of fans ready to pounce on the transgressors. One thing that writers agree will ruin a script these days is to treat it like camp. "There creeps in a sense of 'Oh, it's only Batman, so it can be silly,'" says David Hayter (X-Men). "That, in my opinion, diminishes the material and makes it less worth doing. And in the end you make less return on it because the audience feels you're not taking it seriously."

Another important issue is context. Even the most popular of comic books has a narrow audience compared with a major tentpole movie, and as such, comics can get away with scenes and situations that would be unacceptable in a feature film. Derek Haas cites an example from Wanted. In the graphic novel, the character of Fox (Angelina Jolie) is first seen gunning down random customers in a convenience store. "While it's badass in the comic world, you do that on screen and you can't forgive this woman for the rest of the movie," he says. "She's just killed a soccer mom and a guy getting coffee. Those are the kinds of things where you think, 'OK, I love this scene, I still want to use it to get from point A to point B, but we've just got to make it our own so these are characters you want to spend time with."

Check out the rest of Peter Clines' article in the latest issue!

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