Shia LaBeouf Rumored to Be Cast as Indiana Jones' Son in Fourth Installment of the Series

Expectations are already building for the fourth installment of the increasingly inaccurately named Indiana Jones trilogy. (Thank you, Douglas Adams!) So far all we know for sure is that George Harrison Spielberg is involved. No news on the plot-though a possible title that includes The Lost Continent leads one to suspect that perhaps Indy, after discovering the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail, may well be about to discover Atlantis.

Rumors are currently swirling around the internet that the plot will involve Indiana Jones' child conceived with Marian Ravenswood, the only interesting female character the series ever produced. There is even the distinct possibility that Karen Allen will at long last reprise her role. At one time it appeared that Natalie Portman might be cast as Indy's daughter, but now the rumor mill is grinding out the sausage that instead-or possibly in addition to-a daughter, Indy's offspring will have been born with genitalia on the outside. (Keep in mind that George Lucas is involved and Lucas loves boy/girl twins so it is quite possible that Natalie Portman will be once again playing a relative of one of the most iconic movie characters in history.)

The rumor is that Indiana Jones, Jr.-yes, that is supposedly the kid's name, I'm not making it up-will be played by master hole digger Shia LaBeouf. Shia LaBeouf is a fine young actor who first came to attention on the Disney Channel series Even Stevens before making the leap to movie stardom with his appearance in Holes. (Hence my description, just in case you aren't familiar with that movie.) He has also appeared in such movies as Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle for which we'll give him a free pass since he is so young, as well as The Greatest Game Ever Played.

Of course, there's no indication of what kind of role Indiana Jones, Jr. would play in the movie, nor how substantial the part would be. Considering that Harrison Ford and rumored co-star Sean Connery are well past the point of qualifying for Social Security benefits, perhaps the addition of a young actor is meant to carry the action sequences that are almost certain to be painful if we're forced to watch Ford perform them. Not to mention how painful to Ford himself.

More likely, however, is that the addition of a popular young actor who Steven Spielberg seems positively smitten with is an indication that the fourth Indiana Jones movie will not be the last. Remember the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, the ill-fated and woefully miscast TV series intended to cash in the series' popularity? No, I don't suspect you do. Thankfully, George Lucas seems to have given up on that idea. But an Indiana Jones, Jr. movie, in which the kid wouldn't have to risk the comparison with Harrison Ford, seems to contain a multitude of possibilities. At least, I'm sure it does for all the moneymakers backing this movie.