Shia LaBeouf must have done something extremely good in a previous life, because he’s getting hit with a truckload of good karma casting. Not only is the Disney Channel breakout the star of this summer’s Transformers (pictured), a practically surefire fit from director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg, but the latter is apparently so besotted with the 20-year-old actor that he’s cast him as Harrison Ford’s son in the finally-moving fourth Indiana Jones installment. Though precious few other details have been released about the film, it’s expected to begin shooting this summer for a 2008 release.
Between his trippy performance last year in Emilio Estevez’s Bobby and winning turn in 2003′s family flick Holes, LaBeouf certainly has the potential to make more of name for himself, but I’m not fully convinced that he’s a major star in the works. In the past few years, he’s primarily played the quirky sidekick (in such films as Constantine and I, Robot), and he has an obligatory teen gorefest — the Rear Window-ish Disturbia — in the can. Then again, who am I to second-guess Steven Spielberg? One thing’s for sure: entertainment journos are going to be spell-checking his name a lot in the upcoming year.
What say you, PopWatchers? Can LaBeouf pass as Harrison Ford’s son? Is he primed to become a ShoWest Star of Tomorrow?
Boo! What happened to Nathan Fillion for the new Indy? I don’t want to see Harrison’s tired behind and Shia’s too young. This stinks!
I have loved Shia ever since I first saw him as Louis in Even Stevens, one of the funniest tv shows ever. He is a really great actor.
I thought Shia LeBeouf was very good in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. Very convincing acting.
Finally! That kid got a decent hair cut. Before when he was on Even Stevens I swore he was Ben Savages lost twin.
I thought they were going to do four generations. Shia is too young to be Indi’s child unless he was 50 when he knocked up a girl. Funny, my friend and I were seeing Ryan Reynolds in this role.
I’ve also been a big fan since Even Stevens and I think he is extremely talented. You left off his starring role in Greatest Game Ever Played. Between that and Holes I knew he was going to be a huge star – he got that “thing”. Go Shia!
I have always found Shia to be incredibly charming, I can watch him in anything. For such a young kid, he was super funny in Even Stevens. I think he has great potential. The most important thing to making a big time movie star is their off screen personas. He is hilarious, quick-witted, and charming on late night talk shows as well. Love him!
I’m disappointed that they’re going down the cliche “now the character has a child” road with Indy 4. What would be so wrong if he’d never had a kid and just lived his life? There is enough of a family element with the father character.
Yeah it’s cliche, but if it’s done right it could work. No surprises here, Indy’s son will constantly bumble into trouble and Indy will have to save him. The sad thing is that Ford will look more like the kids grandfather, rather than his dad. Marion Ravenwood better be the mom.
shia is sneaking up on me as one of the best young actors out there. did anyone see him in a guide to recognizing your saints? he seriously held his own, and i was very moved. plus, i think he’s a cutie.
Indy should totally have a daughter – not a son to keep the franchise going.
I think this is good casting though. I am going to assume Marion is indeed the mother. They had a history while the others just seemed like adventure flings.
This kid is talented, cute and could go far. I’m willing to give him a chance.
Hmm…whatever happened to Ben Savage?
Last I heard, Savage went to Stanford like his older brother Fred and majored in accounting.
I think Shia is probably one of the best young actors out there today. I first saw him on that Project Greenlight movie and thought he was too good for the project. He is immensely likeable and he can act. And as a huge fan of the first Indiana Jones movie who cringed upon hearing about movie 4, I can say Shia’s probably the only reason I’d go see this movie.
I have loved Shia since Even Stevens on the Disney Channel. He is an incredible actor, and I’d love to see him make it big!