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We recently got our hands on what we think is some authentic Bilbo casting and production information which seemed to contradict something we knew with absolute certainty: The Hobbit production wanted Martin Freeman for Bilbo and has since as long ago as last year. Seemingly at odds with that fact was apparently concrete casting details about Bilbo and actors still giving audition tapes. Was the role sewn up or not? A spy has provided an exclusive clue or two about what the role of Bilbo will be like and even a plot detail and a production outline but we were...

Well this should not be a surprise to anyone but Red Dawn is the latest film to be put on hold due to MGM’s financial status. With no executives to control the studio, creditors have placed the responsibility of the once great film company on themselves. This move has affected all the movies it was tied to, from the twenty-third Bond film to The Hobbit. Because of MGM’s financial problems Daniel Craig left Bond 23 for Girl with a Dragon Tatoo and Gullimero Del Toro left The Hobbit.

Sir Ian McKellen returns to the big screen in The Hobbit film By Nick Squires in Sydney Last updated: 1:28 PM BST 25/05/2008 Sir Ian McKellen will reprise the role of Gandalf the wizard for two films to be made based on Tolkien's classic book The Hobbit, it has been confirmed. The two movies - The Hobbit and a sequel which has yet to be named - will be filmed in New Zealand and released in 2011 and 2012. Andy Serkis, the actor who played Gollum with the help of digital wizardry, will also return for the Hobbit film, but...

BERLIN (Reuters) - New Zealand film director Peter Jackson (news), tipped to win an Oscar for his "The Lord of the Rings" epic, said Monday he would like to make "The Hobbit" prequel to the trilogy and work with some of the same actors again. Speaking to journalists in Berlin ahead of the European premiere of the last part of the "Rings" trilogy -- "The Return of the King" -- Jackson said he was sad but also relieved that the mammoth project he has worked on for seven years was over. "I'm glad there's not a fourth Lord of the...

Ian McKellen, the venerable actor who plays Gandalf in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films, told fans on his official Web site that he might consider appearing in a movie version of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. In response to a fan question, McKellen wrote, "I recently asked about the film rights to The Hobbit, which seem to be somewhat controlled by Peter Jackson, as far as I can tell. I hope that's the case, because obviously he should have first refusal at translating the novel into a movie." McKellen added, "I should be intrigued to return to Middle-earth, even...

Title: The Lord of the Rings Course Type: Online Instructor-led Course Estimated Completion Time: 24 hour(s) Session Length: 4 week(s) Take this course for FREE Upcoming Sessions September 11, 2002 - OPEN Prerequisites Have read or have a desire to read The Hobbit and the trilogy, The Lord of the Rings Description This course provides an overview of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. We'll look first at Tolkien's biography, his writing life, the origins of the stories, and their publication history. We'll continue with lessons on each book, concentrating on Tolkien's construction...