Comments on: Martin Freeman was ‘first choice’ for Bilbo

By: Dan First

Dan First — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 12:19:00 +0000

If I were worried about going broke (MGM) and i had a gold mine right outside my back door (The Hobbit) I would quit my bickering and get to work!

By: Tolkienfan(PL)

Tolkienfan(PL) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:25:00 +0000

How could you expect that Martin Freeman will drop just like that a big BBC project for a movie that is in talks for over four years and still doesn’t have a greenlight from a studio that has big financial problems?
I know one thing for sure: if they won’t hurry up with things, after GDT the second to quit “The Hobbit” project will be Ian McKellen. And if it happen we’ll have a burning ground instead of a ready-to-shoot project.
Greed destroys art, always had and always will. Congrats MgM.

By: Pete359

Pete359 — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:23:00 +0000

Well that sucks.

I guess the next best thing is for PJ to invent a time machine and travel back and kidnap a 40 year old Ian Holm.

By: Reibusu

Reibusu — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:32:00 +0000

If he had already signed a deal for the second series of Sherlock, fans can’t be so arrogant as to expect him to just go back on it as soon as he’s offered the Hobbit role.

By: Guest

Guest — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:28:00 +0000

I really hope they will give an unknown up-and-comer this chance. It worked wonderfully with Boyd, Monaghan, and Orlando before!

By: Adamsmith65

Adamsmith65 — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:18:00 +0000

He would have been a great choice, I hope that Tom Hollander is in the frame

By: Rich

Rich — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:01:00 +0000

I don’t think he was the right choice

Good TV actor but not in Ian Holm’s class

By: Matt Saari

Matt Saari — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:17:00 +0000

I seem to recall that early in the casting process, his comments seemed less than enthused about playing the role. He said something about being the front runner seemed like an insult. He has always had a bit of a dry sense of humor, so the ‘oh great I look like am effing goblin’ sentiment may just have been jest. Either way, I hope the producers cast the truly perfect man for the job: Russel Tovey. His moody work as George in Being Human is very compatible with Bilbo.