Now that the Tolkien Trust has settled its long-running lawsuit against New Line Cinema, work can begin in earnest on the movie version of The Hobbit. But who's going to fill Bilbo's hairy feet?
Some roles reportedly have been settled (at least if you believe the internets). The Lord of the Rings superstars Ian McKellen, Hugo Weaving and Andy Serkis should reprise their world-beating renditions of Gandalf, Elrond and Gollum unless poor health, a radical change of mind or an act of terrorism interferes with that best-laid plan.
Adventurous ring-bearer Bilbo Baggins is a touchier role to cast. An older Bilbo was portrayed by the excellent Ian Holm in the previous Lord of the Rings movies. But Holm turns 78 Sunday, and executive producer Peter Jackson and director Guillermo del Toro are probably going to need a younger star for The Hobbit. Either that or some killer CGI.
They're also going to need a Thranduil, elf king of Mirkwood and father of Lord of the Rings' Legolas, and a bearlike Beorn shape-shifter. They'll also be on the hook for several dwarves, including Thorin Oakenshield, as well as a gang of orcs, some trolls and, most importantly, the voice of what will no doubt be a smoking version of Smaug the dragon. Which is where you come in.
Tell us who you think should take the journey back to Middle-earth with Jackson and del Toro, and why. When we did this for Watchmen, you posted some wondrously cool and frankly strange possibilities, so it will be interesting to see who you pick to play Bilbo and other key roles in The Hobbit. Post your candidates in the comments section below, and remember, the road goes ever on and on. Until it ends in Mordor, books later.
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