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Sir Ian McKellen Says Bilbo Role Is Taken
Published on: 24th August, 2009
Sir Ian McKellen Says Bilbo Role Is Taken | Related News
Sir Ian McKellen told the audience at the BFI IMAX all night screening of The Lord of the Rings in London last night (Sat. 23rd) that he’s pretty certain who’s got the role of Bilbo Baggins (although he calls him Frodo) and that he thinks we will be very happy with the choice.
Assuming he’s on the ball, it’s unlikely then that the part has gone to an unknown.
The video below was taken by ErgoProxy and then posted to her YouTube channel.
Thanks go to Claymore for sharing her video which you can see below. Check out her video channel by clicking here.
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Mckellen also said about a March 2010 date for beginning of filming. Off-topic but curiously enough that’s when Pirates of the Caribbean 4 is supposed to begin filming. Anyhow I don’t know who to trust. It could be an unknown, consdering there are many young talents out there that would fit. Mckellen also admitted he hasn’t even been given the script yet, so I’m assuming he is basing this statement on whomever Jackson and Del Torro have been giving the heads up recently. The hype is building.
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I am getting realyl excited for this movie. Seems like forever since i saw a LotR film in the theater. I was spoiled with 3 consecutive year. i just hope Del Torro does a good job.
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why would McKellen say Frodo istead of Bilbo? 1. he’s getting old/just didn’t thing right and with jus said wrong name?
2. or did he really mean frodo? cause between the hobbit and an tLotR Biblo adobs Frodo and I don’t think they explane it in the movies, but the 2nd movie would be perfect to have 5 min or less clip about Biblo adobps Frodo and what happend to Frodos parents(I’m not gonna spoil it for the event for those who havn’t read the LofR.(with other words McKellen is taliking about a young actor to mabye play young frodo?)
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entgarden Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 1:27 am
@MaFiAn, there is no such story in either lotr, a hobbit’s tale or any other tolkiens’s related story; the only talk about frodo’s parents is made by bilbo in the beggining of the books and is also in lotr movie; don’t misslead ppl that don’t know the works of tolkien; maybe you are reffering to bilbo’s parents, mentioned in the beginning of “a hobbit’s tale”
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I watched the vid and he clearly says Frodo and quite a few dwarves. I think he just had LOTR on the brain. However, before that, he denfinitely says only he and Andy Serkis would be returning from the LOTR cast that he knew. I guess the real answer lies with those in casting.
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I really hope they can get Christopher Lee back as Saruman. I know Saruman does not appear in the book, but, it’s not like it would be unfatihful. It would be like in LOTR, where they showed in real-time Gandalf escaping Orthanc. Anyway, I really want to see him back.
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scott Reply:
March 9th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
@thaMC,
I think the attack on Dol Guldur will be essential for the movies. It will need that dramatic hit piece to bring the movies alive in my opinion.
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[...] ce rôle, saurait bien le nom du futur Bilbo… mais il ne lâche pas le morceau (en anglais sur The Hobbit Movie.com)! A ses côtés, on retrouvera normalement Hugo Weaving en Elrond… mais peut-être pas [...]
I would love to see the original cast in there respective rolls also but I know that Christopher Lee will not physically in the movie (he was complaining about his age or something like the heavy demand) but I do recall him saying he wants to be the voice of Smaug the dragon . Very cool he’s got the voice for it!
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this might sound morbid, but its been in the back of my mind since the 2 towers, they really need to hurry up with the filming of this movie, sir ian is in his mid 80’s, im afraid he might die b4 then. its awful to say but its a real life possiblity, and NO ONE could take his place as gandalf
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I agree with bass, Sir ian is no spring chicken, so hurry up and get him in the can. Also, I heard that Toby Maguire is to be Bilbo - how awful. He is uncharismatic and downright irritating. As to Jedward being offered parts as they are twins - please don’t, this would totally spoil the film for me. they are an utter waste of time and this fanchise should only have the very best acting talent on its payroll, not ridiculous, untalented non-entities like Jedward.
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Digit23 Reply:
January 18th, 2010 at 4:14 am
@Lionheart, apparently Maguire IS playing Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. Just found an article on the net about it.
Jedward twins aren’t in though, which is a relief. And Maguire isn’t that bad.
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[...] On 23rd August 2009 Sir Ian McKellen told a cinema audience at an all night screening of The Lord of the Rings trilogy in London that he knew who had been given the role of Bilbo Baggins. Original story –> Bilbo Role Is Taken [...]
HE does say he is reading the hobbit at the time so he isnt that familiar with it so he prob just got frodo mixed with bilbo, he did after all spend A LONG time makin lotr with frodo and is only just reading about bilbos story. and omg yea i didnt think about the mortaility thing but you are so right he is very old now and if he dies Gandalf will too. he is gandalf. end of story. I think Del torro will prob take this into account and film his scenes first. plus the second movie is not the hobbit story 2nd half its a bridge the gap story and gandalf needent be in it rele.
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