Sean Connery Originally Asked To Star In

[Jonathon 0]

Found out this cool little news piece from the "Leage of Extraordinary Gentleman" dvd. Any clue who he was supposed to play in the movies?

 

Another weird thing...Connery said he refused the roles because he didn't understand them, and chose "LXG" instead...Go Figure.

[cabbageboy 0]

If Connery turned down the Matrix movies because he didn't understand the script...can you really blame him? I think he was asked to play Morpheus in it. Somehow I can't imagine Connery at his age busting out with all the kung fu.

 

In LOTR I'm guessing he was asked to play Gandalf, but personally I think he would have been better as Theoden than Gandalf.

[Anakin Flair 0]

It's kind of sad that the only reason Connery took the role in LXG was because he passed up two huge, money-making trilogies.

[Guest TheArchiteck]

You know, I still haven't any of the LOTR movies. I even have the first one on DVD. Maybe i'll take the time and watch it.

[Guest wrestlingbs]

Connery must be kicking himself for that. Along with his agent.

 

I mean, come on, he didn't understand LOTR and the matrix but he saw no problem with LXG?

[Guest Dave O'Neill, Journalist]

When LOTR was announced in 1998, and Jackson made clear that he'd prefer a mostly British cast (before Elijah Wood's killer audition tape), it was assumed by most of the movie magazines in this part of the world that Connery would be given the role.

 

Interestingly, LOTR-nut Christopher Lee had his eye on the role of Gandalf FOREVER, and Bernard Hill is apparantly a wee bit peeved that he was never asked to audition.

 

As for The Matrix, Larry Fishburne was actually the fifth choice for the role of Morpheus. Connery was initally thought to be attached, but he turned it down. Liam Neeson turned it down to do Phantom Menace (idiot). Tommy Lee Jones (WTF???) was considered, and the Wachowski's went as far as meeting Val Kilmer about the role.

 

Oddly enough, I reckon Kilmer could have pulled it off

[Guest El Satanico]

I can understand him turning Matrix down. At the time the matrix was just a movie from two unknown filmmakers. He had no reason to even imagine it being as huge as it was.

 

However, I can't understand him turning down LOTR. There was very little chance that it wouldn't be huge.

[Mole 0]

Blah, this is old news.

 

I read this in Entertainment Weekly when they had the Summer Movie Preview.

 

I also said it here at TSM.

[2GOLD 0]

I can understand him turning Matrix down. At the time the matrix was just a movie from two unknown filmmakers. He had no reason to even imagine it being as huge as it was.

 

However, I can't understand him turning down LOTR. There was very little chance that it wouldn't be huge.

 

Connery seems like he would fit better as the King than Gandalf. Just that hat on the head of Connery would have looked all wrong.

[Ripper 0]

Will smith was approached with playing neo

[Guest El Satanico]

Will Smith or Keanu...

 

hmm...I hate Keanu, but "Yeah how you like THAT Mr. Smiiith" would've been all wrong.

[2GOLD 0]

Will smith was approached with playing neo

 

Damn, now THAT would have been odd.

 

Cause I can't see THE MATRIX with a track done by Will Smith, which seems to be in every contract of his.

[Mole 0]

Will smith was approached with playing neo

 

Damn, now THAT would have been odd.

 

Cause I can't see THE MATRIX with a track done by Will Smith, which seems to be in every contract of his.

He didn't have one for Enemy of the State.

[spiny norman 0]

I have officially come to the conclusion that Sean Connery has lost it. He is seen as a major box office draw, yet aside from The Rock and Entrapment he hasn't been in a massive box office success in the last ten years. And he hasn't really had a movie come out that blew me away since The Hunt For Red October.

 

Connery had a great period in the late-80s, but since then he's been nothing special at all.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

YOUR MOTHER, TREBEK!

 

The reason Connery turned down LOTR and Matrix is because he didn't understand the roles. The reason he agreed to LXG is because he didn't understand the role. He figured that he passed up on two roles that would have made him a SHITLOAD of dough just because he didn't understand, so third time's a charm, right?

 

Poor, poor Sean Connery...