George Lucas Once Pitched an ‘Indiana Jones’ Sequel Featuring Dinosaurs - and It Was Nearly Made
A previously untold story reveals that George Lucas initially envisioned a dramatically different “Indiana Jones” sequel, one involving dinosaurs and a shoot in mainland China, a concept that ultimately collapsed due to logistical hurdles and a desire to maintain the franchise’s core identity.
In 1982, as Paramount Pictures pressed for a follow-up to “Raiders of the Lost ark,” Lucas proposed a sequel that would have radically altered the course of the “Indiana Jones” franchise. According to John Baxter’s biography, “Mythmaker: The Life and Work of George Lucas,” Lucas pitched a film set partially along the Great Wall of China, featuring Indiana Jones in a motorbike chase. The concept quickly escalated to include “a sort of ‘Lost World’ pastiche, with a hidden valley inhabited by dinosaurs.”
However, the ambitious plan hit a roadblock when Chinese authorities proved unwilling to permit western filmmakers access for the budget Paramount was offering. This led lucas to abandon the dinosaur-filled adventure in favor of the darker, cult-focused narrative that would become “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”
While the “Indiana Jones” series has embraced supernatural elements,the introduction of dinosaurs was deemed a step too far,possibly damaging the franchise’s established tone. The tonal shift seen in “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” with its sci-fi influences, is often cited as a misstep, highlighting the importance of staying grounded in ancient human history and mythology.
Despite never making it to the screen, the dinosaur concept did resurface in the 1996 novel “Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs” by Max mccoy, where Indy encounters a surviving Triceratops. This illustrates the enduring appeal of the idea, even as it remains a path not taken for the iconic adventurer.
