Ian McKellen confirms start date on The Hobbit

News regarding THE HOBBIT and the return to Middle Earth has been relatively quiet this year. For a while though, there was some debate as to when exactly these films would begin principal photography (mostly due to conflicting reports regarding when the first film would be released).

But Gandalf the Grey himself says on his own website that things are on track to begin later this summer, at least a couple of months later than the originally reported March/April/May:

THE HOBBIT’s, two films, start shooting in New Zealand in July. Filming will take over a year. Casting in Los Angeles, New York City and London has started. The script too proceeds. The first draft is crammed with old and new friends, again on a quest in Middle Earth.

The director Guillermo del Toro is now living in Wellington, close to the Jacksons’ and the studio in Miramar.

Good to hear that casting is now underway, so let’s hope we get word on someone soon. The last we’ve heard of anything was last month with the rumor that Matthew Goode (WATCHMEN) was up for the role of Bilbo. And Ain’t It Cool got word way back in November that the awesome Brian Cox was a possible contender for the role of one of the dwarves (which would be just too perfect).

As always, our ears are to the ground, and we’ll keep you posted.