In the upcoming fantasy adventure The
Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Bilbo Baggins' comfortable life in the Shire
is shaken by the arrival of the Wizard Gandalf the Grey, who has ambitious
plans for the unsuspecting Hobbit.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. |
Once
again playing the wise, intuitive, and occasionally mischievous Wizard is Ian
McKellen in director Peter Jackson's first epic in a series of three films
adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R.
Tolkien.
Among
McKellen's many acclaimed roles, perhaps his most iconic has been his
embodiment of Gandalf, in all his incarnations, in The Lord of the Rings
Trilogy. “Seeing Ian McKellen on set in his costume with his beard and hat,
that’s Gandalf,” Peter Jackson says. “It crosses over between movie character
and cultural icon in a strange way.”
Though
the esteemed actor had trepidation about repeating himself, he ultimately
couldn’t resist the prospect of once again donning the robes, beard and hat of
Gandalf. “Going back to this character was perhaps not as enticing as taking on
a new role, and it was a big commitment, but, in the end, I couldn’t really
bear anyone else playing Gandalf,” McKellen says. “And over the years I’ve
heard from quite a lot of fans that they’d be upset if I didn’t play him. So, I
was thrilled to come back and spend time with this wonderful family again.”
In
the film, Gandalf has chosen to advise and accompany the Dwarf Lord Thorin
Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on his mission into the Wastelands of the Lonely
Mountain to take back Erebor, the lost kingdom and homeland of his tribe, which
was long ago attacked and conquered by the Dragon Smaug. “Gandalf seems to like
Dwarves, or admire them,” McKellen says. “And because he’s old—6,000 or more
years—he can put the current situation into context of recent and past history,
and make a judgment that now is the time to help them.”
And
Gandalf sees Bilbo as a critical piece of the puzzle—to be their secret weapon
if and when they reach Erebor. “Gandalf, who is advising the Dwarves on
strategy and tactics, thinks they need a burglar,” Jackson explains. “Somebody
who could sneak into Erebor right under the Dragon’s nose, and Gandalf likes
the idea of a Hobbit because Dragons aren’t aware of their smell. He wants
Bilbo to be that burglar.”
That’s
news to Bilbo, who has never stolen anything in his life. But, having met Bilbo
as a child, Gandalf believes he’s the right Hobbit for the job. “I think
Gandalf lands on Bilbo because he remembered him as a feisty lad who was up for
anything,” McKellen describes. “He discovers, to his surprise, that this bright
boy has settled into a life of some complacency. But Gandalf suspects that
inside Bilbo, somewhere, there is the right spirit for adventure.”
A
production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), “The
Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is released in the Philippines by Warner
Bros. Pictures.
The
second film, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” will be released on Dec.
13, 2013, to be followed by “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” on July 18, 2014.
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