Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008): trivia & fun facts

Fun facts

• As the $185 million budget was larger than initially expected, Lucas, Spielberg and Ford turned down large upfront salaries so Paramount could cover the film's costs.
• Although he originally found no need for re-shoots after viewing his first cut of the film, Spielberg decided to add an establishing shot filmed on February 29, 2008, in Pasadena, California.
• John Williams began composing the score in October 2007, 10 days of recording sessions wrapped on March 6, 2008, at Sony Pictures Studios.
• Spielberg improvised on set, changing the location of Mutt and Spalko's duel from the ground to on top of vehicles.
• In February 2010, it was the 25th-highest-grossing film of all time domestically, and 44th-highest-grossing worldwide, as well as the most financially successful Indiana Jones film when not adjusted for inflation of ticket prices.
• Just like how the 1930s Saturday matinée serials inspired the first three Indiana Jones films as well as Star Wars (1977), Lucas felt that B-movies such as The Thing from Another World (1951), It Came from Outer Space (1953) and Them!
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was the biggest film shot in Hawaii since Waterworld (1995), and was estimated to generate US$22 million to $45 million in the local economy.
• Lucas and Spielberg had also wanted to keep Karen Allen's return a secret until the film's release, but decided to confirm it at the 2007 Comic-Con.
• Reflecting on the film in 2022, producer Kathleen Kennedy said "we may not have had as strong a story as we wanted".
• At the 51st Grammy Awards, John Williams won an award for the Mutt Williams theme.
• Alan Dale plays General Ross, who protests Indiana's innocence.
• Sean Connery turned down an offer to cameo as Henry Jones Sr., as he found retirement too enjoyable.
• During Memorial Day, the film had already generated a total of $26.7 million, becoming the second-highest Monday gross of any film, trailing only behind Spider-Man 2.
• Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones; To prepare for the role, the 64-year-old Ford spent three hours a day at a gym, practiced with the bullwhip for two weeks, and relied on a high-protein diet of fish and vegetables.
• John Hurt as Harold 'Ox' Oxley, Mutt's surrogate father and an old friend of Indiana, whom he lost contact with in 1937.

Source: Wikipedia

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