http://chud.com/nextraimages/sallah.jpgAs casting announcements have been made for Indiana Jones IV (including the final confirmation of the rumor that all CHUD readers knew to be true months ago – that Shia LaBeouf is in the movie, despite his repeated denials. Shia the Liar!), one name has been absent. There’s been no word of Jonathan Rhys-Davies coming back as Indy’s affable Arab ally, Sallah. And don’t hold your breath, because he’s not been approached.

“From the little information he had about the film he had been told through a third party that the character of Salah had been written out of Indy 4 in favour of a younger cast,” a scooper tells Dark Horizons. But could Rhys-Davies be wrong about his character being written out? Could Sallah remain in the film… now played by current hot Jonathan Rhys-Something Jonathan Rhys Meyers? When I see the Devin Fara-Something coming up behind me I will make sure to neutralize him early.

Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods (I am sticking with this until they officially change the title) shoots this June, leaving poor Rhys-Davies to spend his summer hitting Lord of the Rings conventions.