Indiana Jones 4- Opening God Only Knows When

I think this kid is horrible.


Indy Dumps Short Round for Shia
by Josh Grossberg

Indiana Jones has just unearthed a new sidekick.

A month after denying intense Internet speculation about it, Shia LaBeouf has officially been cast as second banana to Harrison Ford's titular hero in the highly anticipated fourth Indiana Jones movie.

The announcement was made Friday on the film's official Website, IndianaJones.com, and confirmed by the filmmakers.

"We are excited about bringing Shia into our Indy family," director Steven Spielberg said in a statement. "His talent has impressed not only his audiences throughout his young career but the directors, producers and fellow actors who have worked with him in his television career and now his film career."

In his short career, LaBeouf, 20, has become one of Hollywood's most sought-after young talents, with credits that include the kid-friendly Holes and key supporting parts in I, Robot, Constantine and Bobby. This year he'll star in two major releases for Spielberg's DreamWorks, the thriller Disturbia, opening today, and this summer's Michael Bay-helmed blockbuster, Transformers.

Now, despite his earlier denials, he'll be keeping up with the Joneses for what will likely be his biggest role yet.

LaBeouf said Friday that he wasn't sure until the very last minute that he'd be along for the adventure.

"I was hoping the rumors were true, so I couldn't be more thrilled," the actor said. "To be cast in an Indiana Jones film is like grabbing the brass ring and holding on for the ride. I'll do my best to meet the high standards that Steven, George [Lucas] and Harrison have set, and I can't wait to take that giant step in front of the Indy cameras."

Spielberg's publicist, Marvin Levy, chalked up the delay in signing LaBeouf to the project—which necessitated his original denial—to the usual complications that arise in negotiations.

"There were a few things that were not totally concluded," Levy told E! Online. "We were not in a position where we could confirm anything because sometimes you find there's suddenly a deal breaker or something happened with the script...but we said, 'Come on, if this I going to happen, then let's do it now.' "

No official word on what part LaBeouf will play in the yet to be titled installment. Lucas & Co. remain tight-lipped about David Koepp's screenplay, whose plot remains a mystery rivaling the location of the Lost Ark. All we know for sure is that the sequel is set sometime in the 1950s, features a creakier if still capable Dr. Jones and addresses the age issue.

However, LaBeouf, while indicating he hadn't read the script yet, did drop a few hints in an interview with USA Today.

"I can tell you I'm sort of the sidekick character, obviously," the actor said, refuting online buzz that his character may end up being Indy's son. "I'm sure there are a lot of laughs at my expense, and some kind of creature crawling on me.

"It's not going to be Short Round, all grown up," he continued, referring to the karate-kicking Asian kid who saved Indy from the cult of Kali in 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

LaBeouf got his start on the Disney Channel series Even Steven, which earned him not only critical acclaim but also a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series in 2003. Other credits include the second-season HBO Project Greenlight production The Battle of Shaker Heights and A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints.

Last month, Lucasfilm revealed that 37-year-old Oscar winner Cate Blanchett has come aboard to presumably play the 64-year-old Ford's latest leading lady. (There's been speculation that one of Indy's former paramours, perhaps Karen Allen's Marian Ravenwood from Raiders of the Lost Ark or Kate Capshaw's whiny Willie Scott in Temple of Doom, may make a cameo in the latest entry.)

The fourth Indiana Jones flick, which will be once again distributed by Paramount, is due to start shooting in June in Los Angeles and other undisclosed locations around the globe and swing into theaters on May 22, 2008.

 

shia was on SNL last night. i saw holes, but didn't know who he was.