Variety reported today that Paramount has finally gotten the long-awaited fourth installment in the Indiana Jones series on track.  Producers George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg as well as star Harrison Ford have all agreed on a storyline and Spielberg confidante Frank Darabont is set to write the screenplay based on the story by Lucas and Spielberg.  Paramount is planning to release the fourth Indiana Jones film on the July 4 holiday weekend in 2005.  The prime holiday debut is evidence that Paramount views this film as a 'tentpole' that will support its other summer releases in 2005.

 

Darabont, who has been nominated for screenwriting Oscars for both The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, worked with Spielberg on the screenplay for this summer's Minority Report, and also wrote several episodes of the Lucas-produced Young Indiana Jones television series.

 

Since the series began in 1981 with Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Indiana Jones films have sold more than $1.2 billion worth of tickets, and at least an equal amount of licensed merchandise.