So far, the casting news from the upcoming movie version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit has been surprisingly confusing.

First, director Guillermo Del Toro announced in a radio interview in June that Hugo Weaving, Ian McKellen, and Andy Serkis were all going to reprise their Lord of the Rings‘ roles — a claim that was immediately disputed by a confused Weaving, who said he hadn’t signed on for such a gig (but would be willing).

Then four weeks ago at ComicCon, producer and Hobbit co-screenwriter Peter Jackson said that he was about a month away from delivering a screenplay, and that no casting decisions for the film would be made until at least a month after that.

But last night, Ian McKellen told an audience at a screening in London that, in fact, he has already been cast in the project (which will be split into two movies), and that he expects filming to begin in March 2010.

McKellen also claimed, seemingly contrary to Jackson’s comments at ComicCon, that the part of Bilbo has already been cast as well, though he declined to name the actor, saying only that fans would be very pleased. James McAvoy, who played Tumnus in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, has been frequently mentioned as a possibility, though he has since signed for other roles that may put him in conflict with such an acting gig.

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• MAD MAX 4 in the Works (Though Probably Without Mel Gibson)
• Guillermo Del Toro Casts Self in THE HOBBIT, Describes Smaug

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