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Who should be in The Hobbit?
MGM boss Harry Sloan recently confirmed the studio was in serious negotiations with both Peter Jackson and New Line to get The Hobbit project off the ground. Assuming the legal wranglings with New Line aren't too lenghty, the first (of two) film could be with us in 4 to 5 years (assuming Jackson has really given up on Halo for the time being).
So, who would we like to see in the major roles? The only members of the original LotR cast who's characters are in The Hobbit (from memory) are Sir Ian Holm, Sir Ian McKellen, Andy Sirkis and Hugo Weaving. Ian Holm is presumably too old now to play a younger Bilbo. A number of the Fellowship actors have expressed a desire to return to 'Middle Earth' but would you want to see other former LotR actors playng different roles in The Hobbit? John Rhys-Davies could play a different Dwarf, perhapd Thorin, but would he want to go through the make-up again? Lets have your ideas.
So, who would we like to see in the major roles? The only members of the original LotR cast who's characters are in The Hobbit (from memory) are Sir Ian Holm, Sir Ian McKellen, Andy Sirkis and Hugo Weaving. Ian Holm is presumably too old now to play a younger Bilbo. A number of the Fellowship actors have expressed a desire to return to 'Middle Earth' but would you want to see other former LotR actors playng different roles in The Hobbit? John Rhys-Davies could play a different Dwarf, perhapd Thorin, but would he want to go through the make-up again? Lets have your ideas.
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I think PJ could get away with having Ian Holm and Serena Mckellan as Bilbo and Gandalf again.The only thing stopping him would be pressure from the studio to have a younger cast.If so-why not Elijah Wood slightly made up slightly differently as the younger Bilbo.Maybe Jason Isaacs(Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies) as Gandalf the Grey.
David Bowie for King of Mirkwood. I still wish he'd accepted Elrond.
The rest of the cast can wander past in the background - I mean Legolas and Mirkwood is obvious. I do think Bilbo needs to be recast - I'm not sure who it should be, but I think the other hobbit actors are too distinctive as those hobbits, if that makes sense.
Didn't JRD say he would never be a dwarf again because of the make-up?
Brian Blessed as one of the dwarfs...? Maybe not.
For me the most interesting peice of casting would be the voice for Smaug. Alan Rickman perhaps?
YES.
Genius.
That would be good casting!
Maybe, but I think the dragon should have a deeper voice, to be honest.
Jackson not wanted for The Hobbit
TBH, I'm not sure I'd want to see a version directed by anyone else. I was so nervous about going to see LOTR as it's always been my favourite book, and Peter Jackson and his team did such a stunning job, that I don't think another director could match his achievement. The whole look and feel of the film would be different, which would be a terrible shame.
I can't imagine they'd sort it out. In anycase I'm sure MGM who own the distribution rights would put pressure o new line.
Hobbitt without PJ just wouldn't be the same.
Fingers crossed that you're right, johna999!
The Hobbit is a totally different book to LotR. For one thing The Hobbit was conceived as a children's book. While I'm sure PJ is able to adapt his style, seeing The Hobbit depicted in the same manner as LotR I think would be to the detriment of the story. The problem may be finding someone prepared to take over where PJ left off. The only name I can think of right now is Chris Columbus.
It may be that Tolkien described Smaug as having a deep voice. I don't know? But why must all evil characters have deep voices? I blame James Earl Jones myself!
Brian Cox would be an exellent bit of casting.
Bilbo is a much more difficult one to picture. It needs someone in their 'middle years' with a slightly 'cuddly' physic (nice way of saying chubby). I'm going to hate myself for suggesting it, because I really am not a fan, but the only actor I can think of at the moment is Ricky Jervais (excuse me while I go and wash my hands for ten minutes).
LOL it makes sense though can't really picture most villians with soft voices, deep voices makes more of an impact and you have to admit without JEJ's voice Vader is just not as good a villian
But no matter who directs it Sir Ian McKellen just HAS to be Gandalf. No one else should ever play that part.
Not sure about Bilbo, wish Sir Ian Holm could do it but he probably couldn't since it's a younger Bilbo. Whoever does do it should be able to do an Ian Holm performance though.
I don't think they should have any LOTR actors in Hobbit roles too. It'd be okay if they were in a few scenes or something but I don't think they should be one of the dwarves or anything.
Not sure about Smaug..hmmm....Alan Rickman does sound quite good.
Just hoping another director/producer/writer has the stomach to take some risks and think outside the box like PJ did. For example when he saw the visual effects departments idea of the Pellenor ROTK battle, he said 'Good, but we could add some...', which of course left the team like ':eek:' but he just really pushed his team for amazing results and to go beyond what theyd be expected to. I think we can agree that it worked.
Personally I'd love Brian Blessed to be one of the dwarves. I can just imagine him in armour with a mace shouting 'FOR BALIN'. Though of course most of Brian Blessed's roles involve him wearing armour and shouting I suppose.
As far as Smaug's voice is concerned: if PJ was running this show then it would be a fair bet we would have Andy Serkis doing a voice as he did for a lot of the monsters (Most notably Gollum, Witch King, Lurtz too?). Im not decided on who should voice Smaug. Someone scary though.
Excerpts from Empire/One Ring.net.
"The ongoing saga of the LOTR prequel took a massive swing into leftfield today, as it emerged that New Line – current owners of the rights to The Hobbit – have informed Peter Jackson and Wingnut Films that their services will not be needed “on the Hobbit and the LOTR 'prequel'”. In a letter to LOTR fansite TheOneRing.net, Jackson and co-writer Fran Walsh confirmed that due to an ongoing financial dispute over The Fellowship Of The Ring, New Line were now “actively looking to hire another filmmaker for both projects”."
Jackson said:
"This outcome is not what we anticipated or wanted. We now have no choice but to let the idea of a film of The Hobbit go and move forward with other projects. (...) We got to go there.. but sadly not back again."
Bugger.
Aww that really sucks. I'll just have to pray that whoever is chosen can do it justice.
that's the key,i honestly couldnt see these two films being half as good without PJ and everybody at wingnut films/weta involved,as as much as the hobbit and LOTR is tolkien's story,LOTR looked the way it did down to all the people who worked on the film(including PJ),so imho any other director and effects house doing these two films would result in a very similar but different recreation of middle earth
OK can someone answer me this, what is the LOTR prequel going to cover, the Silmarillion, the Unfinished Tales, both of which would need more than one film or is it to be an "Ewok" type of mess covering the comings and goings of Hobbiton?