The Exorcist thing? I actually quite liked that in a so bad it is good sort of way ....

I don't think he would complain... actors like to work.... I'd choose Leslie Philips Well hel-lo!;)

I couldn't get past Philip Glenister's awful American accent, it was that bad, and the lead character was obnoxious. There was just too much stuff thrown together with no 'rules' to it all.

The problem of being in roles too similar to roles already taken is what would stop James McAvoy from taking on the role of Bilbo, I reckon. He's already played Mr Tumnus so I think he'd avoid being Bilbo. I think it bothers younger actors more than older ones though.

Philip Glenister? Eh? *googles* sorry I was thinking of Apparitions (which featured a different slaphead alongside Martin Shaw). I never saw Demons...

Tom Cruise?

As Bard?

*Boggles, then throws up in his mouth a little*

Ummm...that would rank with casting James Cagney as Robin Hood instead of Errol Flynn (actually was going to happen except for a blessed miracle of inopportune scheduling ).

Have I mentioned how I felt Cruise was terribly miscast as Colonel von Stauffenberg in Valkyrie? Don't get me started.

You might as well cast Jim Carrey as the ElvenKing.

*Makes himself ill and runs to the bathroom*

I'm not a big fan of Tom Cruise, but in the interest of fairness...

There was a big to-do about 15 years ago when it was announced that Tom Cruise was going to play Lestat in "An Interview with a Vampire". Goths everywhere were ready to sulk, paint their fingernails a darker shade of black, and write all sorts of bad, self-loathing poetry in anguished protest.

Then Anne Rice came out and said that, although she was initially horrified at the thought of Maverick playing Lestat, she had a chance to see some of the scenes and was pleasantly surprised enough to endorse him. When the film came out, he earned favorable reviews, generally along the lines of "I never thought, in a million years, that he could pull it off..."

I know but could anyone mess up playing a vampire? You are going to look quite cool even before you've started acting, aren't you? ;) Though of course that film did possess some notable distractions for viewers of all sorts of tastes in the form of Christian Slater, Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas ;)

Though I did have my 'eat my words' moment with Mr Cruise - I sat down to watch War Of The Worlds thinking it would be yet another hatchet job of HG Wells and Cruise making you feel slightly creeped out as ever, and it was actually rather excellent and scared the pants off me! :eek:

Personally, I would prefer not watching the movie and saying to myself, "Hey, there's Tom Cruise talking to Gandalf," and "There's Tom Cruise with his brave, jaw-jutting look," and "There's Tom Cruise with his stern look", and "Boy, why is Tom Cruise getting more screen time than Bilbo?"

Nope. I don't like that idea at all.

They could put some cracking rock music behind an eagle sequence though and have him dive bombing Mirkwood before going and singing some song at Galadriel by way of getting her into bed?

No, not convinced?

Nor me. ;)

I'm not sure scientology would go over too well with
elves, especially a Valinor ex-pat like Galadriel. :p

Good point, if they had Tom Cruise in it then he'd probably go all diva and not come out of his trailer until they agreed not to have the Orcs screaming.

But they already will be having Sir Ian McLuvvie .... who never really disappears into his characters these days...

Yes, but he's a known ego bloated to monstrous proportions. Any more swollen heads clogging scenes and one will only be able to watch The Hobbit on IMAX wide screens.

Hey, that's not a half-bad idea...

*clinks cash in pocket*

Maybe that is what they will go for... Cruise, McLuvvie, Ricky Gervais mugging for the camera as Master of LakeTown.

Ricky Gervais? Please, no. Just no. :eek:

This thread is starting to scare me. Is it turning into a Let's Not Cast The Hobbit. Do we already have one of those?

The German Lord of the Rings site has today announced that word is out - Tom Cruise will be playing Bilbo and is also one of the producers. Apparently he wants to have more say in the adaptation of the Hobbit to the big screen. Just how far his influence will extend is not yet certain. :eek:

Is this legitimate or a prank rumor? Because right now I'm about to fall over out of fear, as well as mourn as I bury my Hobbit book and set up a gravestone.

Poisson d'Avril, Monsieur Quatre-vingt-dix-huit...
 

Checking this out I have seen something similar on a french site - Cruise wants it filmed in San Seriffe for tax reasons. The geography there is very similar to NZ but the climate is better which will help him maintain that Hollywood tan.

As a Seriffean myself (and graduate of the Port Clarendon Academy of the Dramatic Arts), I do hope that's true. It's high time my beloved nation made an imprint on Hollywood.:smokin:

In other news, the latest story is that Katie Holmes will be Cruise's co-star. Can anyone confirm this?

I've also heard that Sylvester Stallone may receive the role of Bard. That would be awesome if they work it out, I could well imagine Stallone dodging the fire blasts of Smaug while waiting for the opportune moment to shoot his arrow. Plus, remember how good he was with his bow in Rambo?

She is certainly an interesting choice as Thorin.

Herald, lovely to have a Seriffean Barrow Downer. I am sure many of us have a great affection for the pineapple republic.

I heard Toby Maguire may be cast as Bilbo Baggins. Lord, prevent this from happening! I know the man is a good actor, but HE CAN'T PLAY BILBO!! That role requires someone very very...English...if you know what I mean. It needs a certain style.

TORn has announced that Martin Freeman was chosen to be Bilbo in the Hobbit movie, and that he reluctantly declined because of filming for BBC's Sherlock, in which he plays Watson. However, it appears that the last word has not yet been spoken - negotiations are still in progress, with the hope that his schedule can be arranged to shoot both projects.

Also from ToRN:
(Be afraid, be very afraid...PJ is apparently at it again). :(

I saw this coming. It doesn't bother me so much. Like they said, for pure cinematic effect, they're going to make the battle as big and epic as they can afford. Something for the trailers, if anything. And you kind of have to have your protagonist in there somewhere to justify it. *shrug* So long as Bilbo doesn't kill Thorin, this doesn't strike me as so big a deal.

Maybe they'll model Bilbo's fight more after Pippin's fight at the Black Gate in RotK. Crushed by a troll/giant goblin/real warg, pulled out dead and then miraculously coming to seems like something PJ would do. Again.

Of course, given PJ's penchant for "creativity" there
might be a Legolas tryst with a Laketown female archer
(who barvely brings the red arrow to Bard just before
Smaug kills her).

I see it more as the female archer is woundedi n the act of
giving the arrow to Leggy, who then slides down a
ramp tossing the arrow to Bard (Leggy having broken his
bow saving the fetching archer from an attack by Smaug).

Couldn't agree more...

One more terror-scenario: Keanu Reeves as Thranduil...

Oh my. :D

Could you just picture seeing him flying on an eagle with the Top Gun theme song playing in the back ground? ;) But...no Maverick is complete without their co-pilot, Goose. I wonder who gets to be Goose...

Keanu Reeves as Thranduil?

If I see one elf-lord pull out a matrix move...

I really hope Martin Freeman does take the part as Bilbo. He is adorable as Dr. John Watson in Sherlock (which I also hope we see more of because it's an INCREDIBLE series). And, he actually does look rather Hobbit-like.

He has been cast. Presumably they were able to accommodate his Sherlock commitments. Since there are several parts where Bilbo is separated from the dwarves they can presumably timetable the filming around his availability.

As if Hugo Weaving/Agent Elrond wasn't bad enough????

Personally, I think Keanu Reeves is a little too angsty to play the merry king of the wood.

I love Hugo Weaving and liked himas Elrond. It was the script that was rubbish. Lists do not grow thin. :rolleyes: Well I suppose you could write them sideways but...

Jackson likes to work with the same people it seems so maybe he will use Adrien Brody and continue his pattern of using actors of Hungarian extraction to play Sindarin princes of silvan elves (cf Marton Czokas). Or if we are really unlucky Jack Black.

You know what? I think that PJ should cast Jack Black in this. The Hobbit is already turning out to be something that won't satisfy nerds anyway, might as well cast another ill-fit actor. :rolleyes:

ROFL!!!! I never thought of that, Mithalwen.

No I kid, I love Hugo Weaving and he was an amazing Elrond. I just got a little sick of his grumpy old man syndrome after a while. Book-Elrond was far less.......uptight.

Accompanied by Jim Carrey? :eek:

So maybe we just have to be happy it will not end up that bad... heh, and without Brad Pitt as Bard. :rolleyes:

Well have they cast Galion and the Gaoler yet?

No I could have done without Elrond as vaguely creepy dad. But Morrrrdorrrrrr jus tabout justified the entrance price on it's own. Do hope he gets to say it again this time.. so what it doesn't occur in the Hobbit ... never stopped PJ before...

Anyone seen this yet?
 

Apologies if this has appeared in another thread, but it's pretty recent.

"The Hobbit Stars Ready For Action"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12434929

If this dull American isn't mistaken, Bilbo is being happily played by the charming young porn star from "Love Actually," who did manage to make time despite filming Sherlock.

(I can't find the BBC article that mentions David Tennant allegedly playing Thranduil.)