During the early production of Skyfall, there was a rumour circulating that none other Sean Connery would have a small cameo in the film.

Unfortunately, Connery's advanced age meant that any plans had to be shelved - he is 85, after all - and the scenes were rewritten and quietly swept under the carpet. Originally, the rumour was was that Connery would take on the role played by Albert Finney - that of Kincade, the groundskeeper for Skyfall Lodge.

However, a source close to the production has said that the role was more significant than previously thought AND Connery wasn't going to play a groundskeeper. According to an early draft of the script, Skyfall Lodge was actually a sort-of retirement home for 00 Agents which Javier Bardem's baddie, Silva, would attack. Connery's unnamed 00 Agent would then fight off the attack with Craig's help.

There's more. Apparently, the decision to cast Connery was a lot more advanced than originally thought. Mendes stated in interviews around the time of Skyfall's release that he dropped the idea of Connery cameoing pretty quickly. However, the same source claims that Connery actually shot rehearsal footage. However, his ill health meant that he could no longer be involved. A replacement for Connery was sought, with the production entering early talks with George Lazenby - who played Bond just once in On Her Majesty's Secret Service - and Timothy Dalton from Licence To Kill (Best Bond theme, by the way) and The Living Daylights.

When neither could be secured for the cameo, the role was simply rewritten to Kincade and the whole 00 Agent Retirement Home thing was dropped completely. Of course, there's no concrete evidence to support any of this beyond an unnamed source, but it's pretty damn cool to think how it would have played out with either Connery, Dalton or Lazenby cameoing. Moreover, the whole 'James Bond is an assumed identity' theory has been going on for years now, with former Bond directors like Lee Tamahori actually buying into the idea of it all.

To see an official acknowledgement of it would be amazing, quite frankly. What do you think? Connery returning for one final time as Bond - yay or nay? Let us know in the comments!

 

Via DenOfGeek.com