‘The Hobbit’ Will Begin Shooting in March!

For Middle-Earth fans it seems like it has taken forever to get to this point, but it’s finally set in stone: Monday, March 21, 2011, will be the first day of shooting on The Hobbit prequels! You are probably aware that several delays — including the MGM bankruptcy problems, labor issues, and health problems for director Peter Jackson — contributed to putting the films off from their initial 2010 start date. The delays even forced original director Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) to leave the director’s chair to Jackson, although del Toro is still involved as co-writer of the screenplay and took part in the designs of some of the characters. Hit “more” for a brief review of the film’s details as the first day of shooting finally approaches!


Many actors from the Lord of the Rings trilogy are returning to reprise their roles in the Hobbit project, including Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, and Andy Serkis, with Hugo Weaving seeming to be the only hold-out so far (let’s hope that changes!)

Actors new to Middle-Earth include Martin Freeman, who is playing Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, James Nesbitt, Graham McTavish, Robert Kazinsky, Jed Brophy, Ken Scott, Stephen Hunter, John Callen, Adam Brown, William Kircher, Mark Hadlow, and Peter Hambleton, who will all be playing Bilbo’s thirteen dwarf companions.

The film is set for a two-part release in December 2012 and 2013. You might want to start waiting on line for tickets now though… this will be huge!

Excited for The Hobbit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!