Ray Winstone Joins Cast of Indiana Jones 4

Ray Winstone is joining the cast of the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise.

The English actor, who recently starred as Jack Nicholson's partner-in-crime in "The Departed," has signed on for a major role in the untitled Indiana Jones film.

Although the plot, written by David Koepp is being kept a secret to this point, Winstone will play Harrison Ford's sidekick in the film. A kid, 'Short Round' had played Indy's sidekick in the previous Indiana Jones films.

Cate Blanchett has already been signed to the project for a starring role. Indy 4 is to be directed by Steven Spielberg and filming is scheduled to start in June in Los Angeles and then to other undisclosed global locales.

Paramount Pictures will release the film worldwide May 22, 2008, with a handful of locations opening the following day. Lucasfilm is producing.

Winstone is the third actor to officially sign on for the project, joining Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett.

Other names that have been rumored to be joining the project recently are Natalie Portman(a rumor denied by George Lucas) and Shia LaBeouf. LaBeouf has been rumored to be in talks to play Indy's son in the movie, but he says that reports of his appearing in the film are exaggerated.

"If it was on the table, I would love to," LaBeouf said. "It's like a dream come true to be in that project, but it's a rumor at this point."

The new Indiana Jones film is a sequel to the previous Indiana Jones blockbusters 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,' and 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.'

A rumored title of the new film is 'Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods' with filming rumored to take place in the Nevadan desert and the South American jungle.

The London born Winstone most recently appeared in "Breaking and Entering." He has been a popular actor for many years in Britain. He only recently garnered great success in Hollywood. He has also been in "Cold Mountain," "The Proposition," "Sexy Beast," "King Arthur," and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." He will also star as the main character in Robert Zemeckis' upcoming film "Beowulf."

A fourth Indiana Jones film has been rumored for years, but it had been held up due to all parties involved not being able to agree on a script. A script was finally agreed upon, allowing for the creating of another film in the popular franchise.

Sources:
http://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSN2822759720070328
http://www.pr-inside.com/ray-winstone-has-landed-a-role-r79042.htm
http://movies.ign.com/articles/776/776482p1.html