Ian McKellen Talks About Filming THE HOBBIT, Thorin and Radagast
The most recent issue of Empire features a ton of great stuff from Peter Jackson's highly anticipated film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. One of those things is an interview with Sir Ian McKellen who thankfully came back to reprise his role in the new Middle Earth trilogy. He talks a little bit about the story and what's in store for the fans,
It's Thorin, not Gandalf, driving this quest. Gandalf is not quite certain that the quest is the right thing to be doing. It is, after all, just rescuing some money. He also has doubts that Thorin is up to the job. But every suggestion Gandalf makes seems to be rejected.
The magazine points out that the actor said he had no hesitation in returning to the role, but he does reveal that one of the most frustrating aspects of working on the movie was "not quite getting to work with people who were of a radically different size or entirely CG in nature."
I have a fight with Barry Humphries, playing the Goblin [King], but he wasn't around. I didn't get to work with Stephen Fry or Benedict Cumberbatch. Ian Holm and Christopher Lee both did their work here. I did get a little bit to do with Billy Connolly. And the gorgeous Bret McKenzie, one of the Flying Conchords (sic), is back as Figwit.
It's got to be incredibly hard for an actor to act against something that's not even there. It all looks awesome in the end though! McKellen then goes on to talk about the character Radagast saying,
He's a curious thing and that appeals to Gandalf's inquiring nature. Saruman... has no time for Radagast. But he's really just a simple person, in touch with nature and animals and birds... Gandalf sends him off on little jobs.
This film can't get here soon enough! I've been waiting for this my whole life, and I can't wait to to see this adventure up on the big screen!
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens this holiday season on December 14th, 2012. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be released on December 13th, 2013, and The Hobbit: There and Back Again will be released worldwide on July 18th, 2014.
Synopsis:
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum.
Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.