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THE HOBBIT NEWS

Sir Ian McKellen Gives an Update on The Hobbit & Magneto

by Alex Billington
October 13, 2009
Source: Empire

It's always great to hear updates from Sir Ian McKellen on anything and everything. Empire just caught up with him at the San Sebastian Film Festival recently and asked him about two big projects: The Hobbit and X-Men Origins: Magneto. Before we get on to Hobbit, where he had more to say, McKellen said this about Magneto: “There's meant to be a Magneto script floating around, but I've not read it, so I suspect it wouldn't involve me." McKellen also joked that "they can't have someone whose face is as lined as mine any longer" since it'll focus on a young Magneto, as we already know. Let's move on to his other big project!

"The scripts for the two films will be delivered very soon," McKellen said about The Hobbit. "Then they'll be budgeted, and then they'll be cast. And they'll be going when they've always said they would be, which is next spring – March or April. Guillermo even told me at one point, 'We're going to film for 383 days.' He's got that artistic autism! Jackson's the same; they're very, very, very alike. They also very different, but they've so much in common. They both can't stand Hollywood and have wonderful imaginations, and they're both obsessed with gore and fantasy. Both of them laugh a great deal. Guillermo's one of the most brilliant men I've ever met. His English vocabulary is way superior to mine!”

We already knew last year even that McKellen would back as Gandalf, so that's not news, but it is great to hear that they're still pushing forward in hopes of starting the more-than-a-year-long shoot early next year. As far as we still know, MGM is struggling financially, and who knows if they'll get the funding they need to be able to make sure The Hobbit gets started on time. I can't tell you how happy I am knowing that McKellen is back as Gandalf and that Guillermo and Jackson have so much in common. Let's get this production under way, because I'm already getting anxious to see it even though it's not scheduled until late 2011!

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Related categories: Hobbit News, Hype, Movie News, Opinions

http://rhptkfgs.blogspot.com Ramez

I hate how much negative speculation is geared towards the hobbit. It'll be amazing. Im sure of it.
Skeeter

383 days of shooting...Holy hell thats a lot!
Trey

I cant wait..Sir Ian Mckellen was good in LOTR
Farris

I hope Christopher Lee will somehow reprise his role as Saruman. I can't imagine anyone else pulling it off like he did.
Xerxex

So we have Del Toro giving us his version of the Hobbit, then we Have Jackson doing his version? 'nuff said I'm sold.
Mark

#1 There's negative speculation? I haven't heard any yet (thankfully), but yes this will be totally amazing.
matt

Many of you who will read my comment won't believe me, but I am a friend of Dominic Monaghan and he has been asked to reprise the role of Merry in the second part of The Hobbit. He said that his understanding is that all of the key players in the LOTR's movies will be in the second part due to the fact that Jackson will take liberty with Tolkien's writings so he can tie all the movies together.
Xerxex

Matt I'm not going to challenge you, but I will say this: if Monaghan did say that then cI'm worried, all the key players sounds kinda of dangerous, since the hobbit follows a different story all together, I'd rather see a new cast, but I trust Jackson.
Hattori Hanzo

Matt, what you say about The Hobbit Part II is very plausible and has actually been mentioned over here in England, but until the script is delivered and all actors are announced, it is just another rumour. A very interesting rumour mind you, but a rumour nonetheless. Your claim that you are a friend of Dominic Monaghan is irrelevant since we cannot confirm that.
Brian

I have heard that as well Hattori. Xerxex, the way I heard it is that The Hobbit Part One will deal strictly with the book and that The Hobbit Part Two is to be an all new story based on the LOTR's and Hobbit characters written by Jackson-Boyens-Walsh that will see the five movies sewn together neatly. If they are going to write new matterial based on the Tolkien's world, who else but Jackson is better suited to do so?
Cody

Im a LOTR freak even before the movies and my god the above 4 comments almost made me cum I must say.
Zoe Chastain

i cant imagine he can do that things like what Saruman did..it'll be amazing im sure of it.we can't imagine that anyone else pulling off like what he did.
Madnezz344

man i hope they put in that scene where Gandalf smokes out Bilbo if they bring that in from the book then it will be a good movie :}
JimD

Loved him as Gandalf cannot wait.
bozo

Why must all of Mr. McKellen's characters go backwards in time!!?! WHY!!?
Xerxex

thanks Brian. I'm really interested in what Del Toro will bring us.
Six Three

Maybe i'll take the time to read the book before i see this one. I saw the LOTR movies first then read the books and regreted not reading them first.
L

As good as Ian McKellan is as an actor, he was terribly casted as Magneto. His Magneto is way too small, frail, and old. Wizard magazine speculated a "Role Call" a long time ago for an Xmen movie. While you could not have gotten anyone better than James Stewart as Professor X (who Wizard also picked), they also picked Rutger Hauer for Magneto. This is the best possible choice and I'll still stand by it
Northdude

It doesn't matter who makes it, the story is brilliant and thus the movie cannot be any different. Especially with Ian McKellen reprising his role!
AprilCoolsDay

he looks like Ron Paul