What role was Sean Connery originally supposed to play

Lucas has acknowledged that he had a version of the script with Sean Connery in it and a version without, but chances are a new character just took on the part Connery was going to play in the film. My best guess is Harold Oxley was originally supposed to be Henry Jones Sr., although perhaps they were just going to give him a smaller role like making him the dean of the college (Jim Broadbent). What do you all think.

 

I bet the role of Sean Connery was the one that the dean took. It wouldn't be Ox, because then that would just be a repeat of Last Crusade, with Indy going to save his father.

 

It was just supposed to be a cameo, from what I understand. He'd probably just show up in one of those early university scenes and give Indy advice or something. They might have dropped the scene he was in entirely.

 

Yeah, I think Connery was just doing a cameo. Making Connery the Ox would've complicated so many things (Indy's father being a a father figure for his secret grandson? yeah, too complicated). If anything, Oxley could've (should've?) been Abner Ravenwood.

 

I just assumed it was the Dean's role. And he probably would have been present at the end wedding and perhaps had a scene in there to meet his grandson

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

I was surprised they killed off the character. I don't think that was necessary or added to the story in any way, and perhaps even diminished the tribute to Denholm Elliot.

 

I think that it was necessary since Indy got married. It would've been odd for Indy to get married and his father not be there.

 

True. Though They could've CGI'd him in there.

Or better yet, lost the last scene entirely, and have the wind blow Mutt the hat on the clifftop.

 

If he'd agreed to do a cameo, he probably would just have shown up for the wedding... then you could have had all 3 generations together.

 

I think a recall an interview where either Lucas or Spielberg said that Connery was just going to make a cameo, and the fact that he didn't actually worked out for the better because the audience would be disappointed if he didn't come along for the adventure. Makes sense, I guess, although it could have worked if Indy's dad appeared only during the wedding scene.

I like how they worked him and Marcus into the film, though. Great, heartfelt moment that helped put Indy's present incarnation into focus.

 

I think the character would have been too old anyway.

 

Not for a small cameo...

 

Connery is only like 11 years older than Ford, but the character has to be about 20 years older. Connery hasn't changed much in looks since 89', so they would have to put him in make up. Plus it wouldn't be very believable, a man in his 80's -in the 1950's on an adventure.

 

Too old to attend his son's wedding? What the hell?

 

Thats possible too--would have made it better than him just popping by to wink at the camera. The dean always struck me as a bad substitue for where Marcus Brody would have been if Denholm Elliot was still alive.

 

I didn't even care about the Dean.

 

If it were just a cameo appearance, it could well have only been for the wedding scene.

 

Even if Elliot were alive, he'd be too old to be convincing as anything other than a retired dean.