Even if you hate Kingdom of the Crystal Skull...

...I think we should all be grateful for the merchandising flood that it's opened up. I remember a time when the only official Indy figure you could buy was a crappy 4" Disney figure. now we've got SSC 12" Indys, a PF Indy, and tons more on the way. Even if the new movie doesn't live up to the past ones, I'm glad that it at least reinvigorated interest in the franchise and we were able to get some quality merch out of it. Similar to T3. Even if you hated it, it opened up to doors to lots of great Terminator merch (like Arnold FINALLY granting his likeness rights to figures!).

Spielberg himself said, if you like the others, you'll like Crystal Skull. I'm not worried.

Exactly. I'll take Spielberg's word over Lucas' any day. Lucas' "its not the Second Coming" comments are so ridiculous. He's just a wuss now. Like it's OUR fault that he punted with the prequels. And just who is predicting the "Second Coming" in the first place, George??

Heck, if it's even on par with THE LAST CRUSADE I'll be happy with it, and that's far from a perfect film.

its gonna be awesome !

We'll find out when it's released. But I agree with the OP on the merchandise. The gates have finally been opened.

True, it does lead to us finally getting a kickass 1/6 figure and PFs and what-not. But I still have hope that the movie will be another great entry into the series

I said the same thing about the Fantastic Four movie.

And there's no way I'm going to hate Crystal Skull.

You gotta' admit it will most likely be the weakest of the series...

But it'll kick a#$ cause it's Indy!

Ashton16 said:

You gotta' admit it will most likely be the weakest of the series...

But it'll kick a#$ cause it's Indy!

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Weaker than LAST CRUSADE??

IrishJedi said:

Weaker than LAST CRUSADE??

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Aliens and old man Indy does seem to point toward it being the weaker of the 4 installments.

But Irina looks to be the best villain since Mola Ram, so that's a huge plus.

Then there's Shai...

But Marion's back...

But Marion's back....

Then there's no Sallah....

But it looks action packed with set-pieces...

But then there's aliens and old man Indy...

Wor-Gar said:

Then there's no Sallah....

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That bugs me. Does anyone know why John Rhys-Davies was replaced with Ray Winstone?

I hope its better than Last Crusade, but even if just as good I'll be happy.

doesitmatter said:

That bugs me. Does anyone know why John Rhys-Davies was replaced with Ray Winstone?

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He passed on the script because he didn't want his character to fly away with the aliens at the end.

doesitmatter said:

That bugs me. Does anyone know why John Rhys-Davies was replaced with Ray Winstone?

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Because none of the film's story is set in the Middle East, which is always where Indy's adventures with Sallah take place.



Ray Winstone's character "Mac" is being described as "Indy's pal from WWII", which I think is cool. And Indy having adventures during WWII opens up all kinds of interesting story possibilities in the future.

Also, I'm digging "old man Indy" so far, thank you very much. I think he looks great and more than convincing.

Don't wanna see him fly away with aliens though.... but it doesn't look like that's gonna happen (thankfully).

I will miss Sallah, but I guess it's better than having him show up in New Mexico on vacation or something implausible like that. I don't like it when sequels throw logic out the window just so they can pander to the audience.

Example--when the redneck sherrif from Live and Let Die shows up on vacation in the Orient in The Man With the Golden Gun.

IrishJedi said:

Don't wanna see him fly away with aliens though.... but it doesn't look like that's gonna happen (thankfully).

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But Lucas did say a lot of people may be upset with the ending...???

tomandshell said:

I will miss Sallah, but I guess it's better than having him show up in New Mexico on vacation or something implausible like that. I don't like it when sequels throw logic out the window just so they can pander to the audience.

Example--when the redneck sherrif from Live and Let Die shows up on vacation in the Orient in The Man With the Golden Gun.

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Exactly. Indy is a world-traveller, so it makes perfect sense for him to have friends/sidekicks all over the world. I love Sallah, too. But I don't understand the dissent with him not being back as none of the movie takes place on his home turf. It's entirely set in the Americas.

Wor-Gar said:

But Lucas did say a lot of people may be upset with the ending...???

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The Indiana Jones Handbook basically reveals that, should we actually see aliens in the movie, Indy will be running AWAY from them and not joining them ala Richard Dreyfuss. So put that fear to rest.

IrishJedi said:

The Indiana Jones Handbook basically reveals that, should we actually see aliens in the movie, Indy will be running AWAY from them and not joining them ala Richard Dreyfuss. So put that fear to rest.

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I don't have the handbook, and I don't want to spoil the ending for myself, but does the book tell you what happens at the end of the movie essentially? Did it ruin it for you?

And if Lucas is really predicting fans "will hate the ending" (I haven't personally seen anything where he references the ending explicitly) the only thing I can think of (other than extraterrestrials being involved on some level) is perhaps Mutt will pick up the hat and whip for a visual "passing of the torch", but I kinda doubt that, too.