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Screenwriter Evan Daugherty (Snow White and the Huntsman,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Divergent) is in the process of developing the script for G.I. Joe 3. I really wish they would just scrap what they’ve done for this movie franchise so far and start from scratch. The first movie sucked, the second was slightly better, but not much, and I imagine the third isn’t going to be good.

During an interview with Rama’s Screen the writer gives an update on where he’s at with writing the movie,

“I think they gotta keep me sworn to secrecy on this one. I gotta stay quiet because I’m literally in the middle of writing it. When you called, I was writing it. Sometime in the next few months, I would imagine.”

He goes on to talk about killing off Duke, and where he is drawing his inspiration on while working on the movie.

“Would I have killed off Duke? It’s hard to say, you never know what process that went through to make that film. I don’t know, it’s hard to say, because sometimes killing off a character might make for a dramatic story. What I’ll say for this new movie, what we’re trying to do- what I’m trying to do [as] a fan of the original cartoon in particular and the comic book as well; the comics are somewhat different than the cartoon. We’re just really trying to make a totally a great G.I. Joe movie which to me is about a lot of action but like a lot of fun with a sort of hint of sci-fi, an exciting world you’ve never been to, etc. I’m excited about what the next G.I. JOE Movie can be.”

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Although Walt Disney Pictures famously purchased Lucasfilm last year, the primary focus ever since has been the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII with only the faintest rumblings about the potential for another major Lucasfilm franchise, Indiana Jones. Now, Disney and Paramount Pictures have announced they have reached a marketing and distribution agreement for the franchise.

Under the arrangement, Disney gains marketing and distribution rights to future films, in addition to retaining its current ownership rights which it secured when it acquired Lucasfilm. Paramount will continue to be responsible for distribution of the first four films in the franchise and will receive a financial participation on any future films that are produced and released.

George Lucas had last discussed a potential fifth big screen outing for Henry Jones, Jr. back in 2011, suggesting that a story was already in place, but that the film was still in need of a MacGuffin.

A term popularized by Alfred Hitchcock, a MacGuffin refers to a narrative element that drives the story forward. The Indiana Jones series is famous for making the MacGuffin the object of Jones’ search. In Raiders of the Lost Ark it’s the Ark of the Convenant, in Temple of Doom it’s the Sankara Stones, in The Last Crusade it’s the Holy Grail and, most recently, in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it’s the skull itself.

Although Disney will distribute any new entries in the franchise, Paramount retains the distribution rights to the first four films.

Regardless of what happens with either Star Wars: Episode VII or Indiana Jones 5, audiences won’t be without Ford on the big screen. He already starred earlier this year in 42, Paranoia and Ender’s Game and can soon be seen in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

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A few months ago it was reported that Die Hard 6 would be called Die Hardest and that it would be written by Ben Trebilcook. Trebilcook is finished with the script, and in a recent interview with What Culture, he spilled some details on the story that fans of the franchise might like to hear.

As a fan of the early films in the franchise, I really like the direction he is taking the story and character. It sounds like this is going to be the final film in the franchise as well, and they plan to bring back some familiar faces.

Here are the details, which could be considered SPOILERS, so I’m just throwing that out there.

“Hmm, what can I say? What can I say? What am I allowed to say? OK, without spoiling too much, I can say that McClane is invited to Tokyo by the Nakatomi Corporation to be commended for his bravery and efforts in saving 36 lives, celebrating this on the 30th anniversary of the Naktatomi Hostage Crisis. It’s by no means Black Rain. Perhaps has a slight Rising Sun type tone. It’s also not a double-act buddy-buddy story. McClane began on his own and should end on his own. Of course he’s had assistance in various guises, aiding him in his ventures; but it’s not Lethal Weapon or a Jackie Chan film.

“McClane is a gunslinger. A now retired, worn-out, tired, busted and broken cowboy. Everything he’s been through has to be taken into account. Yes, it’s a movie, but he isn’t invincible. He was never Bond. That’s what was so appealing to me with Bruce’s character. He got hurt. I see the first one as a drama with elements of action. It took its time to set up the story and unfold great characters. I believe I got that and also what I call ‘the hose-reel moment’. You know, when McClane, in the first Die Hard leaped off the building with a fire hose, before it went kaboom; in the second, he ejects himself from the plane when he’s surrounded by grenades and in the third, he’s shot out the tunnel, through the air with a gush of water. I’ve got that ‘hose-reel moment’, as well as that cringing ‘glass pulling from the feet’ type scene. Man, that gets me every time. Pursued by bad guys; does he face them and die, or retreat, barefoot, across broken glass? THEN picks out itty bitty shards from his cut feet. Great acting, too. Bruce has done some neat films: Twelve Monkeys, Unbreakable, Last Boy Scout, Mortal Thoughts, Pulp Fiction. He may regret turning down Swayze’s role in Ghost, but.. anyway, Die Hard 6…

“My story, being set in Japan, obviously has Nakatomi playing an extremely significant role; in a way that.. well, it’s John McClane in Japan and if you’ve seen any Japanese movies or at least know anything about their culture at all, you know it would have a lot of potential to be nuts. It’s not Ichi The Killer, but it is crazy and as real as you can get in these realms. It’s violent, but not over the top nor unnecessarily Loony Tune like Olympus. It’s well researched, faithful to the franchise, yet giving a possible audience such a refreshing punch to the face, they’ll be saying ‘Wow. I really wasn’t expecting that.’ You want a nugget, don’t you? I’m pretty sure it’s out there. A few Japanese fans on Twitter put two and two together when I uploaded a picture of a Katana (Samurai Sword) with some kanji reading ‘Zeus’. Yes, I’ve written Zeus Carver in for Samuel L Jackson.

“Like I said before, it’s not a buddy-buddy script, but you can’t ignore him. Zeus played a major part in McClane’s life. They went through a lot together. They would certainly, without a doubt, still be in contact. A guy I know, Stel, wrote the 51st State (aka Formula 51) with Sam the Man. I put the idea to him and he said Sam would probably love to have a sword in a movie; that’s how you could woo him. Let’s say I have a Better Tomorrow 2 vibe. Have you seen that film? Tell you what else? Probably the best ‘Yippie Ki Yay’ one could ever hope for.”

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Here’s a little bit of Raiders of the Lost Ark trivia for you! In order to get a PG rating for the film, the MPAA asked Steven Spielberg to add more flames to hide the exploding head of the Nazi character Belloq at the end of the movie after he opens the ark. The photo above gives us a little glimpse of what the exploding head looked like before the flames were added.   Originally, Spielberg wanted Belloq’s head to explode on its own, but that was just too graphic for the MPAA. You have to remember this was before there was a PG-13 rating. The PG-13 rating wasn’t created until Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.  I’m not sure what makes a fiery exploding head more tame than just a regular exploding head, especially when there are already disturbing melting faces, but that’s the MPAA for you! I’ve also included a fun video from Slate that explains the fiery censorship.