Frank Marshall Explains Impetus for Continuation of Crystal Skull

The other day at the fifth annual FranchiseCon, a conference hosted at the Budget Inn in Wentzville, Missouri, producer Frank Marshall explained that the forthcoming fifth installment in the “Indiana Jones” franchise would be a continuation of the previous film, “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”. The following is taken directly from the transcript between Marshall and the interviewer, Dom Flanagan.

Marshall: “Someone showed me a review written by this critic Dan something. Dan Johnson? And it was, I’m paraphrasing here, but basically something along the lines of how it felt ‘tired’. So I got my team together and showed them this review and said, you know, what do we do about this. And we came up with a lot of ideas, just kinda put everything on the table. But the one we kept returning to was making a continuation of “Crystal Skull” but making it feel less tired and more awake. So that’s the idea - “Crystal Skull” on caffeine, basically, which is how we pitched it to Steven and to Harrison. So really, it all started with a review. Which is kind of amazing when you think about it. Because, like everyone else, we don’t listen to what the critics say. Because the critics don’t matter.”

Flanagan: “But aren’t you basically implying-”

Marshall: “What’s that?” [Points at something indeterminable behind Flanagan.]

Flanagan: “What’s what?” [Looks behind him.] “I don’t see anything.” [Turns back.]

[Marshall is gone.]