Oh come on, if they can make Sigourney Weaver look 25 years younger for a Direct TV ad, they can do it for Ian Holm for a massive franchise.

Yeah, just use some of that age reducing CG like they used in X3...

this kid gets my vote.

Anton Yelchin from Alpha Dog, and soon to be Chekov in the Star Trek relaunch.

Absolutely. What were you thinking OP? Get with the program man.

I think Martin Freeman (the guy who played Arthur in Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy) would make an excellent Bilbo.

Ha, I've thought that about Tim Canterbury, ermm, Martin Freeman, more than once.

That could get crazy expensive, though.

If I'm not mistaken, Bilbo is always the focus of the action in the book. He would be in every single scene if it follows the book. (Though I've heard new scenes would be added, like parts involving the White Council discussing the "Necromancer.")

Wasn't there supposed to be two movies, the Hobbit and a direct prequel to LOTR?

So now they're saying Jackson might produce and Raimi will direct? Ugh. I know that the potential would still be there, but, c'mon, Jackson needs to direct this. I don't care what New Line has to pay him, just make it happen. Raimi has been slowly losing it since he started in with the Spidey franchise and I don't see him pulling off a huge epic-scale picture like The Hobbit needs to be.

Maybe Raimi can guest-direct the scenes in the forest where the spiders are attacking.

I hope they can get jackson to come back for these films and hope Ian Holm will be able to come back. If he's phyically capable of doing what the demands are I would just hope they put a wig on him again and maybe do a little digital de-aging (even though if they get holm I wouldn't even be bothered if they didnt use any of that de-aging)
Better than Raimi and Topher Grace as Bilbo.

Spider-Man 2 is the greatest superhero film ever made. Raimi definately has experience to make epic movies.

when ppl mention Raimi and The Hobbit,i feel like someone punched me in the face until i bleed.

Peter Jackson and Peter Jackson ONLY please,thanks.

I hear Vincent Chase's people have been in talks with Peter Jackson's people.

If they can make him look three feet tall, they can use some makeup and some digital blending to make him look a little younger. All they need is to hide a few wrinkles, not make him look like a young man.

I'd love to see it, just like most people.

Good question. But wasn't Bilbo in his fifties when he departed on his journey? So was Frodo, if I remember correctly. Yes, we've all pretty much accepted the younger Frodo, but if they could somehow make Ian Holm look just a little younger, I think he could carry the movie (and it would also be more accurate to the book).

Excellent point. And it's for this reason that I'd like to see him continue in the role.

According to Gandalf, Bilbo didn't appear to have aged between the events of "The Hobbit" and the "long expected party." So, conceivably, Ian Holm could still play the role; it's only been about seven years. Throw a little color in his hair, a little make-up to de-age him a bit, and there you go.

As to the character's ages -- Bilbo was celebrating his 111th birthday at the beginning of "Fellowship of the Ring" and Frodo was celebrating his 33rd birthday the same day. It actually took seventeen years for Frodo to leave the Shire with the ring (this wasn't really shown in the movie, it seemed like only a matter of a few days of weeks on film) so when Frodo and Sam left the Shire, he was around fifty. Biblo, likewise, was about fifty at the beginning of "The Hobbit."

they don't have to do anything, Gandalf is always old.

Well according to J.R.R. Hobits live a bit longer than humans so 50 in their years may be more like 30 something in our years.

Regardless, I think there can't be any doubt they "re-imagine" what Bilbo looks like. I seriously don't think Hollywood would cast an overweight middle aged man as the lead in 150 million + dollar "action" movie.

I agree with DDave, I like Ian Holm a lot, but I can't see him to lead this.

Great news that there is at least hope of a Jackson-directed Hobbit. I'd agree with others who have said they wouldn't mind if another actor stepped into the role of Bilbo. Ian is fantastic, but at his age, I'm not sure he would be up for the demands of the film.

Bilbo was near the end of his very long life in LOTR, so a younger actor -- say late 40 to early 50 --would be appropriate for The Hobbit.

On a side note, my personal thanks to everyone who did not go see The Last Mimzy. Box office is a great way to say not every one can make a Peter Jackson movie.

Cover Story
'The Hobbit': Peace in Middle-Earth?
Fans have long dreamed ''Lord of the Rings'' director Peter Jackson would tackle J.R.R. Tolkien's ''The Hobbit,'' but a nasty legal battle with New Line Cinema has made it impossible. Now, at last, a cease-fire may be at hand....

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,2003...142132,00.html