Guess the McGuffin in Indy IV!

[Umbran]

I think we can discount the Shroud of Turin, Noah's Ark, the Spear, the nails of the Cross, anything to do with Jesus having fathered children, etc, as being too well known.

I think the Spear still qualifies as esoteric to the American mass market. It has been used in certain bits of fiction of late, but those have alll been niche things, while Indy is for Everybody.

The location of the Garden of Eden would be an interesting one; the 'potentially offensive' part could be the legend that it's in the Middle East somewhere.

How does the Garden of Eden not qualify as "too well known"?

 

[WayneLigon]

How does the Garden of Eden not qualify as "too well known"?

To me, the idea that it has an actual Earthly location that could be found.

 

[Someone]

In fact, Indiana Jones and the Tree of Knowledge doesn't sound too bad

But sounds a bit Harry Potterish

 

[Umbran]

But sounds a bit Harry Potterish

Given history, Potter is Indiana Jonesish.

 

[Mark]

I think the Spear still qualifies as esoteric to the American mass market. It has been used in certain bits of fiction of late, but those have alll been niche things, while Indy is for Everybody.

It's been given that treatment recently with a pseudo-Indy in the form of a television version starring Noah Wyle. And it isn't going to be easily dismissed since there is a sequel in the works. The Spear is damaged goods, I think, and would not be the focus of a new Indiana Jones flick.

 

[Mark Chance]

No matter what the McGuffin is, the movie will stink and Roger Ebert will give it a 4-star review while at same time highlighting all of its awful qualities.

 

[Mistwell]

No matter what the McGuffin is, the movie will stink and Roger Ebert will give it a 4-star review while at same time highlighting all of its awful qualities.

Bitter much?

 

[Umbran]

It's been given that treatment recently with a pseudo-Indy in the form of a television version starring Noah Wyle.

Yes, and also in the second season of Witchblade. And in any number of genre books.

The issue is not "has it been done?". The issue is "has the real broad market seen it?" Sequel or not, I don't recall hearing that the Noah Wyle program got notable ratings. And Witchblade was definitely a niche thing.

Thinking about it, though, being unknown is not probably not important - the last McGuffin was the Holy Grail, one of the best-known widgets of the fantasy genre! In terms of story, the next movie has to be about something more monentous than the Holy Grail - Indy's quest should surpass that of the Arthurian Round Table! How can you make that plausible with an unknown McGuffin?

 

[Mark]

The issue is not "has it been done?".

I believe it is.

The issue is "has the real broad market seen it?"

In any event, the answer is, "It has been done, has been done in such a similar fashion as to damage the chance it would need doing again, and has been done in a broad enough market has seen it done."

 

[Piratecat]

Easy. Eschew any actual maguffin, except maybe for some phallic glowing stones. Make the movie a prequel to "Raiders" about a lost Indian temple to Kali that's mind-controlling hundreds of children to mine for... I'm not even sure what... and which has a priest who rips peoples' hearts out of their chests with magic. That way in "Raiders" when Indy scoffs at magic, we know he's just pulling our collective leg (or is really forgetful). Oh, and get rid of Karen Allen to add Kate Capshaw, and toss in a cute scrappy kid sidekick.

See? That easily tops the original!

Man, I really am bitter about Temple of Doom. But Umbran, I think you're wrong about them needing to "top" the holy grail. One of the neat things about the lost ark is that most people weren't familiar with it. I think they can use something obscure, as long as it's cool.