As we see below, the ball is already rolling on preproduction for The Hobbit and while many of the iconic stars of Lord of the Rings who had a presence in The Hobbit prequel have signed on for the epic, Sir Ian Holm is clearly too old to play his younger self.
While James McAvoy seems to be a fan favourite for getting the role a new name has been rumoured – David Tenant.
Tennant is due to make his debut appearance at the world’s biggest science-fiction and fantasy convention Comic-Con in the US next week.
And Rings director Peter Jackson is also expected to announce his choice for the role when he attends.
Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times, said yesterday: “David Tennant just happens to be making his very first trip to the San Diego expo to promote “Doctor Who,” a television series that he will soon be leaving behind. “Peter Jackson, the producer of the two-film “Hobbit” series that begins its theatre run in 2011, is also slated to appear this year, and, well you can see the dot-connecting possibilities. …
Harry Potter was also being considered, but I just don’t see this happening. He will have a hard time outrunning Potter and he still has two more films to play him. But on top of that, I just don’t see him as a match.
McAvoy does feel like a good fit, but now that the rumour mill is putting up Tennant’s name, I am really digging that idea. He too was in Harry Potter as Barty Crouch Jr, and he was great as that, and he is by far my favourite Doctor, and I think he would be incredible as Bilbo Baggins.
The timing is right. Tennant is ending his run on Doctor Who after this current makeshift season of TV events ends, and after playing the role for 4 seasons he needs something to distance himself from the most loved Doctor on the series.
Perhaps the most loved Hobbit?
