Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), Ian McKellen (Gandalf) and Andy Serkis (Gollum) May Return To Middle Earth In "The Hobbit"

Guillermo del Toro is gearing up for pre-production on the two-film big screen adaptation of The Hobbit for Warner Bros. Variety is reporting that del Toro will be jumping into that just as soon as his Hellboy II: The Golden Army hits theaters in July. They are also reporting that the studio has already made “preliminary contact” with three of the actors from Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy about reprising their roles for the upcoming prequels.

The three actors who have been contacted are:

• Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn)
• Ian McKellen (Gandalf)
• Andy Serkis (Gollum)

Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are expected to write the screenplays under the direction of Peter Jackson and del Toro. Concerning the scripts and keeping the original actors, del Toro said this:

We will all be involved in the script in some fashion but the exact definition is about a week away. I am all for keeping the actors who originated the parts, as much as availability and their willingness will allow.

As far as the actors go there seems little doubt they will return. Serkis already has the production listed on his calendar of his official website. Ian McKellen left little doubt of his intentions when he spoke with Empire Magazine last month:

Yes, it’s true. I spoke to Guillermo in the very room that Peter Jackson offered me the part, and he confirmed that I would be reprising the role. Obviously, it’s not a part that you turn down; I loved playing Gandalf.

I suppose there’s a chance that Viggo Mortensen could be too busy now that he’s an Oscar nominated actor, but somehow I think he’ll find the time. It’s shaping up to be a pretty good production.