Sir Ian McKellen in an interview with The Bolton News [published Sept 11] revealed that filming on the long-awaited prequel to the Lord of the rings trilogy; The Hobbit should start filming in January the new year and he will be reprising his role as the Wizard Gandalf.
"The aim is to start filming in January," he said.
It seems The Hobbits production troubles may finally be coming to an end. A report posted yesterday by Bloomberg.com also indicates that the MGM financial crisis might be coming to a close. Their sources say that a vote on the MGM bankruptcy deal which would put Spyglass Entertainment at the controls will come within the next two weeks.
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction. The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in children's literature.
The story follows the quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. Bilbo's journey takes him from light-hearted, rural surroundings of the shire into darker, deeper territory. The story is told in the form of an episodic quest, and most chapters introduce a specific creature, or Wizard, of Tolkien's Wilderland. By accepting the disreputable, romantic, fey and adventurous side of his nature (the "Tookish" side) and applying his wits and common sense, Bilbo develops a new level of maturity, competence and wisdom.
The Hobbit is in development and stars Cate Blanchett, Ron Perlman, Hugo Weaving, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis & Doug Jones.
