Ian McKellen Almost Ditched Playing Gandalf in The Hobbit Movie

[Dark Sup3rn0va]

I just wish Elijah Wood wasn't in the movie. I find him to be such an irritating actor.

Thank God McKellen is doing it tho because he is an amazing actor.

 

[BENZOOKA]

Those are rather good news.

But I still haven't got over the fact that Jackson replaced Del Toro as the director of the movie!
[small]that's some bullshit, I tell you. It should've been...[/small]

They better be good with the makeup.. else it's gonna look like Gandalf is ageing backwards.

I could tell you that Gandalf isn't just an old guy who does magic. He's a maia, kind of a semi-god. Without getting into to that too deeply... he has just chosen the form of this old man with a poor posture. Also, he's so very old that, the time between Bilbo leaves his house to go holler at Smaug and Frodo sees the first glimpse of The Mountain of Doom, is just a brief moment, when talking about aging. Which he doesn't actually do.

So, we've got Frodo, Galadriel, and Legolas all appearing in The Hobbit, eh? Hopefully Jackson & Co. will save some room for characters that were actually in the story.

Indeed... I'll be shaking my head until the movie comes out.

 

[BENZOOKA]

Brilliant news! It wouldn't be the same without Ian McKellen. All I want now is for a gratuitous Eomer appearance. What a bad-ass mothe- I mean what a bad-ass so-and-so that man is.

Well, Éomer has absolutely nothing to do with The Hobbit. In fact, if I'm not completely wrong, he wasn't even born then.

 

[adderseal]

Brilliant news! It wouldn't be the same without Ian McKellen. All I want now is for a gratuitous Eomer appearance. What a bad-ass mothe- I mean what a bad-ass so-and-so that man is.

Well, Éomer has absolutely nothing to do with The Hobbit. In fact, if I'm not completely wrong, he wasn't even born then.

I know, that's why I said I wanted a gratuitous reference. He's got nothing to do with it but I'm hoping they'll squeeze him in just because he's awesome.

 

[Cyberjester]

I'm very happy t hear this and I'm looking forward to seeing these movies

ADIT: You know what I appreciate? That Peter Jackson seems pretty dedicated to get the actors he needs for this movie to work. I'm sure there are others dying to play Gandalf but Jackson's the kind of guy who'd rather work around issues than completely ignore them. Props for that.

Everyone would rather work around issues instead of solving them. We call this ignoring.

So much for casting some people of color.

http://tinyurl.com/4ggt2zb

I, for one, am glad there's no affirmative-action type stuff going on with the casting. A high-fantasy movie based on a book written by an Oxford professor who was born in the 19th century is not the place to start worrying about ethnic diversity.

This. They are not going to ruin my Hobbit by putting in a black guy with a Mexican accent just so you politically correct people can feel good about yourselves.

Although they could always slide something in. I mean hell, they're printing Huckleberry Finn without the word "******".

 

[Cyberjester]

Brilliant news! It wouldn't be the same without Ian McKellen. All I want now is for a gratuitous Eomer appearance. What a bad-ass mothe- I mean what a bad-ass so-and-so that man is.

Well, Éomer has absolutely nothing to do with The Hobbit. In fact, if I'm not completely wrong, he wasn't even born then.

I know, that's why I said I wanted a gratuitous reference. He's got nothing to do with it but I'm hoping they'll squeeze him in just because he's awesome.

Well, when they make the next LotR movies to fill in everything they missed, maybe they can do some more Éomer.

 

[TimeLord]

Christopher Lee is 88 Years old

I was also very surprised by this!


I'm glad Ian McKellen is still playing Gandalf, no-one else could do it better!

 

[BENZOOKA]

Brilliant news! It wouldn't be the same without Ian McKellen. All I want now is for a gratuitous Eomer appearance. What a bad-ass mothe- I mean what a bad-ass so-and-so that man is.

Well, Éomer has absolutely nothing to do with The Hobbit. In fact, if I'm not completely wrong, he wasn't even born then.

I know, that's why I said I wanted a gratuitous reference. He's got nothing to do with it but I'm hoping they'll squeeze him in just because he's awesome.

For the one time I don't check a word with Google's define:* and go on with thinking it means something it actually doesn't. So pardon for my lousy grammar skills there.

I'd still like the movie to be as accurate it can be, even though it will always be the result of few persons' interpretations.

I think of The Lord Of The Rings movies as barely adequate tributes to the books, and if I had a say in it, The Hobbit would only include the characters that actually appear in the book.

I still got your point, but happen to view these things from a different perspective.

 

[adderseal]

Brilliant news! It wouldn't be the same without Ian McKellen. All I want now is for a gratuitous Eomer appearance. What a bad-ass mothe- I mean what a bad-ass so-and-so that man is.

Well, Éomer has absolutely nothing to do with The Hobbit. In fact, if I'm not completely wrong, he wasn't even born then.

I know, that's why I said I wanted a gratuitous reference. He's got nothing to do with it but I'm hoping they'll squeeze him in just because he's awesome.

For the one time I don't check a word with Google's define:* and go on with thinking it means something it actually doesn't. So pardon for my lousy grammar skills there.

I'd still like the movie to be as accurate it can be, even though it will always be the result of few persons' interpretations.

I think of The Lord Of The Rings movies as barely adequate tributes to the books, and if I had a say in it, The Hobbit would only include the characters that actually appear in the book.

I still got your point, but happen to view these things from a different perspective.

Oh definitely, I'm reading the books at the minute and there's an awful lot the movies missed. Although I suppose there would have been about six films if absolutely everything had been put in!
I agree with you on The Hobbit, maybe now that LOTR has been such a mainstream success Jackson's not under much pressure to make a shit-ton of money like last time...or maybe he is, who knows. It's usually because of the producers that films leave you with a sense of what might have been.

 

[jpakaferrari]

Elsewhere, does anyone care that Michael Gambon was not the first to play Dumbledore?"

I love Ian McKellen and he's a brilliant actor but if he is stupid enough to believe that many people (and by that I mean at least myself for only my opinion matters) were very sad to see Michael Gambon replace Richard Harris. The changes he made to the character and the fact that he admitted to media sources he had not read the books and felt he didn't need to greatly angered me. I still do not accept Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. In fact I wish that McKellen had been chosen and taken the role on instead. I am very happy that McKellen made the right decision and returned because I doubt that anyone else could play Gandalf with 1/1000th the skill that he has.

 

[KeyMaster45]

I love Ian McKellen and he's a brilliant actor but if he is stupid enough to believe that many people (and by that I mean at least myself for only my opinion matters) were very sad to see Michael Gambon replace Richard Harris. The changes he made to the character and the fact that he admitted to media sources he had not read the books and felt he didn't need to greatly angered me. I still do not accept Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. In fact I wish that McKellen had been chosen and taken the role on instead. I am very happy that McKellen made the right decision and returned because I doubt that anyone else could play Gandalf with 1/1000th the skill that he has.

I think Michael Gambon has done a fantastic job playing Dumbledore and has only served the purpose of making Harris' performance in the first two movies a wonderful contrast to the mood direction the series takes starting with the third movie/book. Read the books or not his performance has been exemplary. If you want to get all picky about the continuity of the films you can just imagine that after year two Dumbledore decided to get his beard under control, did something about his chronic hoarse voice, and took a level in badss. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TookALevelInBadass]

More on topic: Reading this made me wonder how awesome it must be to hold negotiations with McKellen over anything because he's always going to sound like Gandalf or Magneto. If I were Jackson I would purposely make sure the contract negotiator at the meetings with him was named Charles just so I could hear him say "Come now Charles you're being unreasonable."

It really bums me out when I think how all the actors and actresses with these really great speaking voices (like McKellen, Lee, and Anthony Hopkins) are all usually old as dirt and will be gone probably within the next decade or two.

 

[Greg Tito]

It was already reported that he's reprising the role of Legolas. Not a cameo appearance, but not a starring role either. I'd imagine that means he'll be there during the days the party is at Rivendell.

Legolas was the son of Thranduil, the king of the wood elves that imprison Thorin and the Dwarves on the west side of Mirkwood. So I assume that Orlando Bloom would be seen there and not in Rivendell.

 

[BENZOOKA]

Brilliant news! It wouldn't be the same without Ian McKellen. All I want now is for a gratuitous Eomer appearance. What a bad-ass mothe- I mean what a bad-ass so-and-so that man is.

Well, Éomer has absolutely nothing to do with The Hobbit. In fact, if I'm not completely wrong, he wasn't even born then.

I know, that's why I said I wanted a gratuitous reference. He's got nothing to do with it but I'm hoping they'll squeeze him in just because he's awesome.

For the one time I don't check a word with Google's define:* and go on with thinking it means something it actually doesn't. So pardon for my lousy grammar skills there.

I'd still like the movie to be as accurate it can be, even though it will always be the result of few persons' interpretations.

I think of The Lord Of The Rings movies as barely adequate tributes to the books, and if I had a say in it, The Hobbit would only include the characters that actually appear in the book.

I still got your point, but happen to view these things from a different perspective.

Oh definitely, I'm reading the books at the minute and there's an awful lot the movies missed. Although I suppose there would have been about six films if absolutely everything had been put in!
I agree with you on The Hobbit, maybe now that LOTR has been such a mainstream success Jackson's not under much pressure to make a shit-ton of money like last time...or maybe he is, who knows. It's usually because of the producers that films leave you with a sense of what might have been.

Exactly. One might make a movie about even any of the dozens of chapters of the trilogy. Movies have such restrictions in comparison to books like these.

Guillermo del Toro should have been the one to direct The Hobbit, as they announced in some point. He did Pan's Labyrinth and the directing, atmosphere and visual offering was something along those lines that, I think, would fit The Hobbit quite well.

It's interesting to see what kind of a movie it will be. The name and the trilogy's fame and success should already bring them several shit-tons of money, but yeah, you never know. If there's even more money to be made... and all that wonderful stuff.

I'm planning to begin The Hobbit, again, now when I finally got a new edition after my late one-eyed dog ate the old one some years ago. Nourishment for the body and soul, it seems...

 

[BlackWidower]

Quick question: Is Peter Jackson planning anything original in the near future? Since Lord of the Rings there hasn't been anything has there?

 

[Chesterfield Snapdragon McFisticuffs]

I don't know, I always thought that Richard Harris made a better Dumbledore than Gambon. He just seemed way...calmer. Of course Gambon was still great but it's the little things that make movies memorable, Dumbledore was the best part of the first two for sure.

 

[Sporky111]

I find myself more interested in that link to his metal band project. Very interesting stuff, there.

 

[Kelethor]

"A wizard is never late nor early. he arrives exactly when he is needed"

Thank you soo much Ian.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I don't know, I always thought that Richard Harris made a better Dumbledore than Gambon. He just seemed way...calmer. Of course Gambon was still great but it's the little things that make movies memorable, Dumbledore was the best part of the first two for sure.

Nailed it! Glad I'm not the only one who thought Richard had a more calming, mystic air about him. Gambon seemed to be too emotional. That said, if Ian couldn't be brought back for Gandalf, Gambon would have made an excellent replacement.
I will never understand actors. I would LOVE for people to remember me for playing a character that everyone knows. Okay, you run the risk of getting type cast, but still.

 

[BabyRaptor]

Probably off topic, but...Yeah. Mr. Gambon's Dumbledore was not as good as his predecessor's. There are people who care about that.

Back on topic...Squee! This movie absolutely needs the same cast to be as good as LoTR. Glad to hear we're getting it.

 

[Nouw]

Spoiler: Excuse me for a second

YUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

That is wonderful news, surely this movie will be as good as the original trilogy.

Shame that it's being made in Wellington, come to Auckland D=.
[sub]I'll be damned if I can't go to the premier >.<[/sub]