Who’s the new Bilbo? Sylvester McCoy?

This time last year the rumour mill was working overtime at the San Diego Comic Con with the story that former Doctor Who David Tennant was about to announce that he was going to play Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit.

During the past 12 months there have been many changes in the film’s production. Tennant was ousted, Tobey Maguire was officially cast as Bilbo, or at least that was the rumour until he flatly denied it a day later. Director Guillermo del Toro has quit, and Peter Jackson is now back in the directors chair, at least for now.

The ongoing difficulties with MGM have seen some of their other projects, namely Bond 23 being cancelled indefinitely, but The Hobbit still seems to be soldiering on and the latest rumour is simply incredible.

Screenrush have it on good authority that the Doctor that will be travelling to Middle-earth isn’t the tenth, but the seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy!

McCoy was in talks to play the part of Baggins back in the original Lord of the Rings trilogy but of course lost out to Ian Holm. The truth is Holm would be the best actor to play Bilbo, but at 78 he might be getting a little too old, unfortunately. McCoy is a comparatively young 66, and frankly as huge Doctor Who fans here at The Morningstarr* we’re really hoping this one pans out to be true.

Jackson is currently touring the world, visiting Los Angeles, New York and Britain having meetings with several actors he is hoping to cast, as soon as MGM actually give the go ahead. McCoy’s agent has only said that he can’t confirm or deny the rumours, so they’re still spreading up until he makes a proper statement.

Oh, and if the thought of Sylvester McCoy being cast as a hobbit in a huge blockbuster movie sounds bizarre, another rumour flying around this week is that David Tennant is going to be the new Hulk in Joss Whedon’s Avengers now that Ed Norton has been dumped. That’s bizarre!

Socialize