Anton S. alerted us to an interview with Mikael Persbrandt in Swedish site MovieZine.se where he talks a little bit about his role as Beorn in The Hobbit.

Here’s the translation of the relevant bits that Anton sent along.

MovieZine: Are you finished filming the Hobbit?
Mikael P.: No, absolutely not. I’m going back there in February.

MovieZine: Do you have a part in both films?
Mikael P.: Yes I have. The role is more or less what it is in the book. I’m not going to talk much more about it because they’ll get angry at me, but read the book and you see… and then maybe there is a little more.

MovieZine: How is your character Beorn created? Make-up or some kind of motion-capture?
Mikael P.: As I said before I intended to survive the night. Otherwise I guess I’ll get a missile after me. It’s exciting to be a part of it. You’ll see later, its barley a year left until the premier in December.

MTV is at it again this year with their annual Movie Brawl. By pitting certain movies against others, the brawl eventually narrows a field of 16 movies down to the most anticipated movie of 2012. In the first round, “The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey” is up against “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” As of this writing, they’re neck and neck. so, get on over to MTV and vote for “The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey” because we all know it’s definitely *the* most anticipated movie among the most discerning movie fans. *wink, wink*.  Go here to vote!

In 1966, animator Gene Deitch collaborated with Czech illustrator Adolf Born to create the very first film version of The Hobbit. This version — which took some sizable creative liberties with J.R.R. Tolkien’s original story — never saw the light of day. What the heck happened?

As Deitch tells it, the story began his producer, William Snyder, briefly acquired the rights to The Hobbit in 1964. Deitch wished to film The Hobbit using cel-animated characters and 3D-modeled backgrounds, an ambitious procedure for the time. More..

Shinan Govani writes: Is there any way Howard Shore is not going to the Oscars? The made-in-Toronto composer, having already score-scored with The Lord of the Rings — three golden statuettes for his work with the trilogy — is once again on the tips of awards-watchers’ tongues. The source of all this sweet clamour? His lift-off for Hugo, a collab with Martin Scorsese — his sixth! — that lushly wish-fulfills “a Paris train station into a 12-year-old’s Neverland of sparkling strings, accordions and the pure bliss of movie creation,” as one observer raved in print.

One might say that the Shore-Scorsese kinship is a simmering bromance! Although — hey! — our own David Cronenberg had him first; Howard’s additional composition this season for A Dangerous Method is the 10th time — 10th! — he’s worked with the Canadian auteur. More..

Ostadan writes: The first ‘major’ expansion for FF’s LotR card game, starting a new cycle of ‘chapter packs’, is now available. More..

Last week Brian Anderson’s “Dog Eat Doug” comic goofed on LOTR, take a look! More..