This Fantasy Action Was So Bad It Forced Sean Connery to Retire

Even the most seasoned actors can make decisions that unexpectedly alter their careers. For Sean Connery, THE Sean Connery who first brought James Bond to life, one particular choice proved to be his final bow to Hollywood.

But the most devastating part about all of this is that before this fateful decision, Connery had passed on some of the most iconic characters of the 21st century.

He said no to Morpheus in The Matrix, declined the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, and turned down Dumbledore in Harry Potter. Each of these films went on to become cultural phenomena, and although we now would never change their cast, it still is a bitter detail to the already sad story.

That said, the 2000s saw a boom in adaptations, with studios racing to find the next big thing. And there are a lot of big hits, sure, but also big failures as well. Unfortunately, it was Connery who found himself starring in what would become his unexpected swan song.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Was a Promising Story Gone Wrong

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen seemed like it couldn't miss. Based on Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's brilliant comic series, the premise was great. Legendary figures from classic literature joined their forces to complete a secret mission. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, as it turned out, quite a lot.

The movie suffered from a messy script that tried to cram too much into its runtime. The special effects, which were supposed to be groundbreaking, ended up looking dated even for 2003 standards.

As film critic Paul Byrnes for Sydney Morning Herald summarized:

“It's the marriage of Hollywood's least attractive couple – parsimony and greed.”

Sean Connery Reached a Breaking Point

Well, you can kinda see what made Connery quit acting altogether after that. But there's more.

There were constant conflicts between Connery and director Stephen Norrington.

Norrington didn't even attend the film's opening party. When asked about the director's absence, Connery reportedly advised them to "check the local asylum." Yikes.

“[Norrington] wasn’t certified before he started because he would have been arrested for insanity. … So, we worked as well as we could, and [I] ended up being heavily involved in the editing and trying to salvage [it],” Connery said in an interview to Variety (via Yahoo Entertainment).

With source material as rich as Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's work, the film had the potential to rival the success of other comic adaptations. But, unfortunately, the production spiraled into chaos and we got The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

For us, fans, this movie is a huge missed opportunity for what could have been an exciting franchise.

If you're still interested in watching the movie that pushed Connery to retire, you can catch The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen on Disney+ or Apple TV+ right now.