James McAvoy as Bilbo Baggins?
Apparently it’s almost a done deal:
Scottish actor James McAvoy has been tipped to take the lead role in the new movie version of Lord Of The Rings prequel The Hobbit....Sir Ian McKellen will reprise his role as Gandalf and McAvoy is rumoured to be the favourite to take the lead role of hobbit Bilbo Baggins....
A source tells British newspaper the Daily Express, "A number of names have been doing the rounds, including Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Black, but James (McAvoy) is the one the film's bosses really want.
I love McAvoy, but I’d never have thought of him for Bilbo... and now I love the idea.
(Technorati tags: James McAvoy, Hobbit)
comments
posted by Clayj (Thu May 29 08, 9:18AM)
The idea of Jack Black playing a young Bilbo is just... what's the word I'm looking for? Oh, right: INSANE.
James McAvoy looks like he could pull off playing a younger version of Ian Holm, who played Bilbo in the Lord of the Rings movies. I don't think he'd be as good a "younger self" as Ewan McGregor was for Sir Alec Guinness, but he could be good.
posted by pedro (Thu May 29 08, 11:15AM)
what the...? DANIEL RADCLIFFE!? are they on drugs? bilbo was not THAT young!?
also, jack black!? just cause he's fat? might as well get pete jackson himself...
posted by Danielle (Thu May 29 08, 11:59AM)
I think it would be brilliant casting. I could definitely see James McAvoy as the son of Belladonna Took. :)
posted by JSW (Thu May 29 08, 12:35PM)
But Bilbo wasn't any younger in The Hobbit than he was at the beginning of Lord of the Rings. He stopped aging when he got the ring. Unless Ian Holm looks significantly different now than he did in 2000 I don't see why they wouldn't just bring him back.
posted by Kate (Thu May 29 08, 1:44PM)
I gotta just echo the disbelief on the Jack Black front. Huh???? Why not Adam Sandler? or Pauly Shore?
posted by Kathy A (Thu May 29 08, 3:15PM)
Well, they did use sticky tabs to pull back Holm's wrinkles for the prologue of FotR, so I can definitely see why casting him wouldn't work. However, I have to think that McAvoy, as much as I love him, is still too young for the part. The-Hobbit-era Bilbo should be in his early- to mid-40s, at minimum.
posted by Clayj (Thu May 29 08, 4:41PM)
Maybe they can get David Tennant to play Bilbo. ;-)
posted by bronxbee (Thu May 29 08, 6:10PM)
David Tennant? he'd be the skinniest hobbit ever seen -- i'd hate to see the Hobbit turned into a diet morality play. i want my 2nd breakfast and elevenses and dinner *and* supper... and i want Bilbo to have them too!
posted by Clayj (Thu May 29 08, 7:37PM)
He could always wear a fat suit... or maybe a slightly-overweight suit.
posted by s (Thu May 29 08, 7:38PM)
I think they'd have to so something really impressive with CGI to make Tennant look short.
I haven't seen much of McAvoy, but he looks hobbity enough to me, with the wide-set eyes and all.
posted by the rook (Thu May 29 08, 8:18PM)
seeing as to how ian holm played frodo in the bbc radio series, i could see elijah wood playing bilbo in the movie.
posted by MaryAnn (Thu May 29 08, 8:53PM)
Ah, now, you know I love Tennant, but he'd be totally wrong for Bilbo. Maybe an elf...
posted by Joanne (Fri May 30 08, 2:16AM)
Take it with a pinch of salt. GDT has been posting on TheOneRing.net messageboards and today basically rubbished that report - they haven't picked anyone yet, but it won't be Ian Holm.
Though that said, I for one wouldn't mind McAvoy - he's good in anything. I'd prefer Martin Freeman though.