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Sir Sean Connery Not Returning In 'Indiana Jones IV'

Makes an official announcement

http://indianajones.com/community/news/news20070607.html

Cast information announced along with retirement

The Indiana Jones Cast Expands
June 07, 2007


Several stars have thrown their hats into the ring to join Harrison Ford and Shia LeBeouf in Indiana Jones' latest whip-cracking adventure. Next year, when the new Indiana Jones movie opens worldwide on May 22, Indy will share the screen with Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone and John Hurt.
Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett has established herself as one of the preeminent leading actresses in film today, earning her first Best Actress nomination for her title role in Elizabeth, for which she received a BAFTA and Golden Globe Award. She continued to draw acclaim for significant roles in The Talented Mr. Ripley, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Notes on a Scandal and Babel. In 2005, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator, and this year was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. Cate is currently filming The Curious Case of Benjamin Button costarring Brad Pitt and directed by David Fincher.

Known for his layered and nuanced performances of tough guys, Ray Winstone drew international praise for his role as Gal Dove in Jonathan Glazer’s Sexy Beast. His recent screen credits include Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, Antoine Fuqua’s King Arthur, and Anthony Minghella’s Breaking & Entering. Winstone's voice can be heard as Mr. Beaver in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Ray will next be seen in the title role of Beowulf opening November 16, 2007 directed by Robert Zemeckis.

Academy Award nominee John Hurt, whose career in film spans more than 40 years, has played memorable roles in movies both big and small. His impressive body of work includes such films as V for Vendetta, Elephant Man, 1984, Midnight Express, Contact, and Alien. On television, he won world-wide acclaim for his role of Caligula in "I, Claudius" and Quentin Crisp, in "The Naked Civil Servant".

While the man with the hat is back, this time he's not bringing his Dad. Sean Connery, who retired from acting in 2005, said:

"I get asked the question so often, I thought it best to make an announcement. I thought long and hard about it and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an Indiana Jones film. I love working with Steven and George, and it goes without saying that it is an honor to have Harrison as my son. But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun. I, do however, have one bit of advice for Junior: Demand that the critters be digital, the cliffs be low, and for goodness sake keep that whip by your side at all times in case you need to escape from the stunt coordinator! This is a remarkable cast, and I can only say, 'Break a leg, everyone.' I'll see you on May 22, 2008 at the theater!"

Nice statement

Great cast.

It doesn't bother me that Sean isn't coming back. The third movie was about Indy and his father and I like that that's the only movie we see him.

Getting excited.

Very classy of Sean. I almost wish he was coming back.

Almost.

Very graceful bowout. It would seem to make more sense that if Sean were there, it would be pretty obvious that he's not really old enough to be Harrison's dad. It's good that Indy's dad will be (presumably) deceased.

Thanks again for the good spirits, Sean!

I love Sean, but the movie’ll be better of without him.

He taught him self-reliance. His work is done.

Thank God for that. He was the worst factor in the weakest INDY film.

John Hurt eh? Bring it on....!

Well I'm not thrilled. No Connery = More Shia Labeouf.

And let's face it, we probably aren't going to see Connery on the big screen again, barring Goldfinger revivals, etc

Goodness gracious--a gracious Sean? Good luck to him, but good riddance as well.

Sean wrote/said that? Just seems kinda odd for him.

This is sad though.

They should hire Roger Moore Who better to follow Connery in that role.

George Lazenby?

I liked Connery's performance in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but I've always thought he was miscast in the role. He was just too young, and too manly, to play a fuddy-duddy professor. He overshadowed Ford, as well.

Someone like Richard Vernon would have been a better choice, in my opinion.

This post has been edited by Royal Dalton: 7 June 2007 - 18:15

I think Indy's father should of actually passed on, that way its closed and sealed. And if they did have him, this 4th Indy film would be compared to the 3rd, it would have to live up to it.

Plus Connery is perfect as Indy's dad, after all Indiana Jones was suppose to be based off James Bond.

The real bit of news, surely, is not that Connery (or should that be Sir Sean? ) won't be in INDY 4, but that he won't ever be in anything else, either. Correct me if I'm wrong, but although it was widely assumed that he'd retired (and, frankly, why not? Good luck to him, he's earned it, etc.), this is the first time that we've had an unequivocal official statement on the matter from the man himself.

In any case, I don't think Connery was used to his full potential in LAST CRUSADE, and his character would have been as unnecessary and irritatingly obvious as Cleese's Q in CASINO ROYALE. Not that I reckon INDY 4 will be as good as CR, of course. But it looks as though it'll at least trump LAST CRUSADE.