It  looks as though the quest to assign the lead role of Bilbo for the upcoming Hobbit films is edging ever closer to a conclusion, as new reports suggest that English actor Martin Freeman is now emerging as a very likely candidate. Known best for his roles in the original version of the hit television series The Office, as well as appearing in films such as The Hitchhicker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Love Actually, Freeman is widely considered to be an ideal fit for the role. Earlier reports had suggested that his commitment to starring in the upcoming BBC series Sherlock had meant that his involvement in The Hobbit would be unlikely, but it has now emerged that a potential compromise is possible. As sources claim:

“New Line and MGM, the studios backing the Hobbit films, have since come back to Freeman with a proposed schedule that would allow him to shoot both projects. All parties are currently negotiating a deal.”

To read the full story, click here.

So there you have it. We’ll have more on this as it develops but, in the meantime, feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments section – would Freeman make a good Bilbo?


| 3 comments | Add your comments | #, #, #

Comments:

Arctic Squirrel:

maybe... he just doesn't have that bilbo look that we all love...

ElveHaldir:

He looks pretty alright, with the right make-up he might make an excellent Bilbo, though I really thought/think they were going for someone younger :)
But he certainly is a good actor, so that's allready a very good thing :D

Balin38:

I haven't seen any of his movies but a google images search of his name makes me think he looks perfect.

Hopefully he has the ability to pull off the role. As any reader of LOTR and The Hobbit will know, the wise (if eccentric) Bilbo Baggins of the Trilogy is a far cry from the inexperienced and relatively foolish Bilbo Baggins of the Prequel. Seeing that his background is in less serious roles, I'd say have our man...err.. hobbit.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 at 5:36 PM and is filed under Casting, the Hobbit . You can trackback this article from your own site.