New Images from The Hobbit Films

So here we have a whole new spate of new images from The Hobbit app that Warner Bros released. Now I wish they would do this for android phones as well – I am not even going to ask for something for my Blackberry because I know that is not going to happen. But who knows? We are after all, talking about a realm where dragons fly. 🙂 But apart from my meagre cribbing, let me get down directly to sharing the goodies that I gathered.

The quintessential wizard

New Photograph of Bilbo Baggins

First Look At the Dwarves: Bombur, Bofur and Bifur

Bombur, Bofur and Bifur

Ian McKellen Updates His Blog: “First Rehearsal”

Ian McKellen

Sir Ian McKellen is having rehearsals! He is finally donning the grey mantle again as Gandalf the Grey! He writes on his blog about visiting the same old places when he was last playing Mithrandir!

Best of all, he has visited the new set for Bag End, which includes a bedroom and a pantry. He has been to the much-loved environs of Hobbiton, with his new cast members.

He writes, “I was at the cast’s first joint rehearsal where Peter Jackson, with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, invited our comments on their script so far. This is as close to bliss as an actor can get. Facing three Oscar-winning screenplay writers who genuinely want us actors to contribute. AND there were piles of snacks on the coffee tables: fresh fruit, NZ cheese, Minties.”

And in his customary style, quips conclusively, “Two of the cast have forsworn deserts during Lent. Not me, not yet. At lunch I took seconds of the flourless chocolate cake and sour cream.”

McKellen’s blog entry supports a candid picture of James Nesbitt and him, smiling into the camera; and, of course, dessert.

And so it begins. 🙂

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James Nesbitt’s Interview

James Nesbitt gives an interview to Catriona Wightman, TV Reporter and Simon Reynolds, Movies Editor

It’s been a turbulent few years for The Hobbit (director changes, studio implosions, Peter Jackson’s hospital visits), but any day now the long-awaited Lord Of The Rings prequel will go in front of cameras in New Zealand. James Nesbitt, who can soon be seen in medical drama Monroe, will be one of many recognisable faces in the cast as dwarf Bofur. We got on the phone to James to chat about his ‘dwarf training’, group bonding and immersing himself in J.R.R. Toklien’s Middle Earth.

You’re over in New Zealand filming The Hobbit at the moment – how’s that going?
“Good. We haven’t actually started filming yet. We got here quite early – we were always going to spend a number of weeks mainly kind of getting fit because it’s a huge project and will involve a lot of stamina and stuff. And also getting used to the different types of work we’ll be doing.”

How’s Peter Jackson doing after his surgery?
“Peter got a bit ill but he’s well and on the mend now so we start in a few weeks. It’s been a fantastic experience. Obviously it’s very sad here at the moment with the earthquake in Christchurch. It’s been very keenly felt all over the islands. But Kiwis are a tight-knit group and everyone’s offering a lot of support. But yes, it’s terribly beautiful. It’s a wonderful opportunity. It’s great for me just to be involved in something this epic and to have the opportunity to work with all these great people. It really is something I’m very grateful for.”

You said before you were having dwarf training – what’s that been like?
“Yeah, it’s good! I mean, we’re all playing dwarves – we’re playing Tolkien dwarves, Bilbo Baggins goes on this journey with 13 dwarves, so it’s great. We’re just really doing different things.”

What have they been making you do?
“We’re doing lots of horse riding and stunts and stuff. We’re basically playing! It’s a very good way to earn a living, it’s great. They’re working us hard I have to say! But they’re very down to earth. It has such a feeling of being a little company, it just happens to be a little company of thousands of people! But everyone is enjoying it. Every day’s a little treat.”

Who is the best and worst at the stunts, horseriding and so on?
“Richard Armitage is very good at the old horse riding because of course he did it in Robin Hood, so he’s very good at that. Of course he’s playing our leader, so it’s right that he’s good at that. Aidan Turner and Rob Kazinsky, they’re fit young men. But we’re all shapes and all sizes and we all have our own skills.”

Were you a fantasy film fan before you joined The Hobbit?
“No I wasn’t really, to tell you the truth. But obviously coming out to do this now I’ve immersed myself in it a bit. It’s funny – as a company, we watched the three films together, so we were in the cinema all together. It’s a very exciting prospect to be watching those and thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to be in something like that’. It is a chance to be a kid again.”

The Hobbit movies are due for release in December 2012 and December 2013.

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