It appears that Steven Spielberg will stop at nothing to destroy our childhood memories of Indiana Jones, as actor Shia LaBeouf, talking with BBC News, revealed that another Indiana Jones film is moving forward.

“Steven [Spielberg] just said that he cracked the story on it before I left and I think they’re gearing that up,” said LaBeouf, who is out promoting the upcoming release of Transformers 2.

LaBeouf is also currently working on the Wall Street sequel. It is not known if George Lucas is also onboard to rape our favorite character.

Seeing as how Indiana Jones 4 messed with everyone’s favorite childhood hero, it is no surprise that South Park took a clever jab at the series creators in its latest episode. It showed Steven Spielberg and George Lucas rape Indiana Jones in three scenes recreating them from Clockwork Orange, The Accused and Deliverance.

Interestingly, no Hollywood bigwig is bothering to lodge a complaint with Viacom over the South Park episode.

"We don’t want to engage. We just want it to go away," said an anonymous insider to Deadline Hollywood.

The episode, which marks the show’s fall premiere, was seen by an average 3.7 million viewers, up 21% from last fall’s debut and topping all of cable during that time period.

WEEK BOX OFFICE FINAL

May 23 – May 29, 2008

1. Indiana Jones Kingdom Crystal Skull (Paramount)

$145,840,212  (This Week)

4260 (Theaters)

2. Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Disney)

$34,613,170

3929

3. Iron Man (Paramount)

$30,457,656

3915

4. What Happens In Vegas (20th Century Fox)

$13,977,982

3188

5. Speed Racer (Warner Bros.)

$6,209,003

3112

6. Made Of Honor (Sony)

$5,304,020

2393

7. Baby Mama (Universal)

$5,115,340

2158

8. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Universal)

$2,897,170

1073

9. Harold And Kumar Escape From Guantanamo (Warner Bros.)

$1,491,109

750

10. Visitor, The (Overture Films)

$1,117,621

270

Just how did the “Indy” visual effects team make the effects look so real?  What exactly did they do to create the world of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”?

The Hollywood Reporter’s article Indiana Jones and the Digital FX by Carolyn Giardina answers those questions and more in her short piece about the sophisticated techniques Industrial Light & Magic applied to the picture.

 

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE ESTIMATE

May 23 – May 26

For the complete story go to Variety.

1. Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (PARAMOUNT)

4,260 (Theaters)

$126,000,000 (Gross Sales)

2. Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (WALT DISNEY)

3,929

$28,600,000

3. Iron Man (PARAMOUNT)

3,915

$25,600,000

4. What Happens in Vegas (FOX)

3,188

$11,100,000

5. Speed Racer (WARNER BROS.)

3,112

$5,200,000

6. Baby Mama (UNIVERSAL)

2,158

$4,200,000

7. Made of Honor (SONY)

2,393

$4,200,000

8. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (UNIVERSAL)

1,078

$2,200,000

9. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanmo Bay (WARNER BROS.)

750

$1,200,000

10. The Visitor (OVERTURE)

270

$917,000

 

As I have mentioned before, I am not a film critic.  I love film, so I will never critique a film critique.  

I saw the fourth installment of “Indiana Jones” last night, and enjoyed the film because it was good, old-fashion entertainment.  My daughter and her friend had a blast; they laughed many times throughout the film, and talked endlessly about it afterwards.  Not once did I think it lacked the wallop of the other “Indy” films.  

In the Vanity Fair article (you can still view online) with Spielberg and Lucas, it was mentioned that they did not think the critics would like this movie.

With that all said here is The New Yorker’s review of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” by David Denby.  Warning: There are plenty of spoilers in the review.

 

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” continues mining the box office with an estimated $126 million since its opening on Thursday.

The total brought in so far includes an estimated $101 million in Friday-Sunday box office revenue, which followed a first-day Thursday total of $25 million. Monday looks like another $25 million. thus giving first Indy sequel in 19 years a five-day total of $151 million.

 

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” excavated $31 million on its second day at the box office generating a two-day gross of $56 million.

As mentioned here on Friday, “Indy” opened Thursday to $25 million, giving a rise to an opening day record for both director Steven Spielberg and headliner Harrison Ford according to Rentrak Theatrical via Variety.

Disney’s “Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” placed second on Friday after registering a 66% wane from its opening day a week ago. “Caspian” collected $6.6 million off 3,929 raising its eight-day total to $74.6 million.

 

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” started the weekend on Thursday at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and brought in $25 million in its first day of release.

The return of the swashbuckling, wisecracking archaeologist who hates snakes will open up to more than 12,000 screens internationally, possibly hitting 16,000 theaters including the US.

According to Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg’s sequel is unlikely to beat the record five-day opening of buddy and “Indy” creator/executive producer George Lucas’ “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith,” which bowed on Memorial Day weekend in 2005 to $173 million, according to Nielsen EDI. (”Sith” also holds the record for the biggest Thursday opening, with $50 million on 600 fewer screens than “Indy.”)