Indiana Jones Will Be Filmed in Fresno

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

By Maureen Naylor

10/09/2007 (KFSN) -- Production crews for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are already hard at work in southwest Fresno.

About 40 people from paramount pictures are already here preparing two valley locations for filming of the new Indiana Jones at chandler airport and at eagle field in Dos Palos.

By the end of the week, more than 200 people are expected to be working on shooting scenes for one of Hollywood's most talked about movie.

Now Fresno will be part of the Indiana Jones legacy.

Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are currently filming the fourth installment: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

The movie, starring Harrison Ford, started shooting in June at locations including Hawaii and Connecticut.

Airport workers say production crews have been preparing Fresno's chandler airport since Saturday, painting lettering to make it look like Mexico City's airport.

The film is set in 1957, so old cars have been brought in, along with a DC-3 plane with Pan-America painted on the side.

Crews also painted "Branford" on the airport tower, likely to represent the airport in Branford Conneticut, where some scenes have already been shot.

Crews are tight lipped on this top-secret project.

Spielberg is known for demanding secrecy.

Last week, producers reached a settlement after suing actor Tyler Nelson for leaking the plot to his hometown newspaper.

As fans get ready for the hat, the jacket and the whip, know that Fresno will be part of movie making history.

Filming will happen Thursday. Spielberg and a big name actor are expected here.

We're told there will be a lot of special effects, a wind fan, and pyrotechnics. Four Fresno police officers have been contracted for security.

The movie stars include Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett and Shia Labeouf. The film is expected to come out in May of next year.

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