Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull had aliens, Soviet agents, and nuke-proof refrigerators, but something was surprisingly missing: a Sean Connery cameo. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull may not have been the most well-received film in the franchise, but it did see the return of some well-known characters from the previous films, as well as the addition of some recognizable faces. After 27 long years, fans saw Indy reunite with Marion Ravenwood (from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) and were introduced to their son, Mutt Williams (who was originally their daughter before being portrayed by Shia LaBeouf in the film). And with big names like Cate Blanchett, John Hurt, and Jim Broadbent joining the cast, it seemed like there was no one that director Steven Spielberg couldn’t get. But one character didn’t make it back to the big screen: Professor Henry Jones, Sr.
In 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Sean Connery made his debut as Indy’s father and fellow academic, Professor Henry Jones. Henry was an author and a professor of medieval studies at Princeton University. Indy and his father had a rather tenuous relationship, having distanced themselves from one another after what happened to Indiana’s mother until the two reunited after Henry disappeared while searching for the Holy Grail. Using his father’s diary, Indy tracked Henry down and rescued him from the Nazis that had held him captive, and they set off to claim the Holy Grail before the Nazis. In the end, Indy saved his father from a fatal gunshot wound using the healing powers of the Grail, and the two rode off together into the sunset.
With their relationship mended, it seemed there were more adventures in store for the Jones family. But in 2008’s Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Henry is noticeably absent. A picture of Henry can briefly be seen on Indy’s desk at Marshall College, and the only mention of him in the film is made by Indy to insinuate his death: “Brutal couple of years, huh, Charlie? First dad, then Marcus.” It isn't easy to keep track of just how old Indiana Jones is in every movie, but he was seemingly still young enough that his father’s passing came as a surprise. So why kill off such an important and well-liked character with a throw-away line? The short answer: Sean Connery retired.
Steven Spielberg reached out to Connery regarding a cameo in Indiana Jones 4, but he declined. According to Connery (via THR), he spoke to Spielberg about reprising his role, but "it didn't work out." In fact, Connery was the one to suggest the franchise kill off Henry. The last major film that Connery had done prior was the 2003 critical failure The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which had reportedly been a rather stressful production. After that experience, the then 73-year-old actor decided to retire from the spotlight before Connery made a habit of turning down roles. So when Spielberg came knocking at his door five years later, Connery decided that the role wasn’t worth coming out of retirement for, especially considering the role "was not that generous a part, worth getting back into the harness and go for," as explained by the actor.
Sean Connery, who sadly passed away in October of 2020, spent the latter years of his life as a recluse. The only film Connery had worked on between The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and his death was the 2012 animated picture Sir Billi in which he voiced the titular character. The rest of his time was spent with his family at his home in the Bahamas, golfing and avoiding the press. So, while Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull would have perhaps benefitted from a Connery cameo, ultimately, his send-off at the end of The Last Crusade was a wonderful end for his character that would have been sullied by appearing in a sub-par sequel.
