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David Tennant to play Bilbo in Hobbit?

backstept

backstept

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/...pped-to-play-Bilbo-Baggins-in-The-Hobbit.html

The 38-year-old is tipped to play Bilbo Baggins in the big screen adaptation of JRR Tolkien's book.

The Scottish star leads a list of stars, including James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe, vying to play the title role of Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit." The film – which may be split in two – is based on Tolkien's children's book prequel to The Lord Of The Rings hit series.
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personally I doubt they could pick anyone better!
if this does turn out to be just another rumor, I don't really care!
the LOTR films were so superbly cast that I feel The Hobbit will be as well
 
I don't know; I'm sure from and acting standpoint he could play the part but Tennant is a little on the tall & skinny side to play a hobbit.

Assuming they'll be using the same techniques as LotR, having a tall actor play Bilbo would increase the amount of scale double work. In LotR they had a good relative scale between the hobbits and the dwarf (JRD is a large bloke), so they only needed one set of scale double performers and the oversized-man-suits. With a six footer playing a hobbit, they'd either need 7-8 foot tall dwarves (13 of them) or two sets of scale doubles in addition to the big-suits. It sounds like a petty observation but it would probably at least double the cost of filming some scenes.

Radcliffe is also rather on the gangley side, McAvoy is a much more credible candidate.

Still I'm sure it's all just tabloid nonsense. I'm pretty sure GDT has said they won't be casting non-returing actors until after they're done with the writing...or at least the shooting draft, if the last films are anything to go by.
 
you make some excellent points :techman:

I'm sure it's far too early to be casting . . . PJ and GDT have probably talked to some actors, but with no script to speak of I would find it hard to take any of these rumors seriously . . .
I think the whole rumor about DT as Bilbo has to do with a possible appearance at Comic-Con which is more likely to be Doctor Who related

but isn't it fun to speculate? I love hearing about actors I'm familiar with getting new projects etc
Tennant was my second favorite Doctor after Eccleston and The Hobbit is one of my favorite books so I'd love it if this were true :D
 
Reverend said:
I don't know; I'm sure from and acting standpoint he could play the part but Tennant is a little on the tall & skinny side to play a hobbit.
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I agree. I love David Tennant, but McAvoy, who is no slouch himself, who seem physically better suited for the role.
 
Never thought of him, but I would so not be opposed to Tennant playing Bilbo. I think he would do a brilliant job, he has a certain fun cockiness about him that would fit the character well. He would need to gain some weight though.
 
Would be fun.

Means he'll be coming here, so I might meet him. We always have stuff to do with Weta so I might try and get a set visit. :)
 
^You mean Ian Holm, well he's getting on a bit much to be the star of 2 big movies, especially in a role that'll demand a lot... I mean he'll be about 79 by the time they start filming,
 
Well, Tennant's reportedly been cast in St. Trinians 2, and I'm hoping they use him for the proposed Who movie, so I don't know when he'd have time to fit it in.
 
Kelso said:
I'd rather have Martin Freeman
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Couldnt disagree more, Martin Freeman seems to be stuck playing variations of Tim from The Office, last thing i want to see him play is Bilbo.

Fingers crossed on Tennant as Bilbo, plus it would be a virtually guaranteed Oscar nomination for him if he gets the role.
 
I suggested Tennant some time ago but I've since come to think that Michael Sheen would be a better choice. Wouldn't complain if DT landed the role though.

Funny enough, the other Scottish Dr Who, Sly McCoy, apparently auditioned for the role when LOTR was being made, while Tom Baker was supposedly interested in the role of Gandalf.
 
I rather think Tom Baker would be much better as Radagast than Gandalf. One assumes he was in the council of white, or whatever it was that Gandalf ran off to mid way through the hobbit.

Actually, that got me thinking, I wonder if they'll use the backstory of Gandalf getting the map in Dol Guldur as the prolgue, it's not as if they're going to retred the last alliance prologue and the creation story is in the Sillmarillion, so they don't have the rights to it.
 
Martin Freeman is far too old - cripes, he was like 87 when he did "Deep Impact" - and they probably want to cast younger than Michael Sheen. Either of his sons, Charlie or Emilio, would be better choices.
 
Dennis said:
Martin Freeman is far too old - cripes, he was like 87 when he did "Deep Impact" - and they probably want to cast younger than Michael Sheen. Either of his sons, Charlie or Emilio, would be better choices.
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Well, it's not the first time someone has mixed up Martin and Morgan... :p
 
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