By Look, I really want to like The Hobbit when it comes out. Peter Jackson did a fantastic job with The Lord of the Rings, and I imagine he’ll come through on this project, even if it’s been split into two films. But then I hear tell of characters like Legolas returning for these films, despite the fact that he never appeared in the books, and I get worried. This is another one of those cases.
TheOneRing has confirmed that Elijiah Wood will be reprising the role of Frodo in The Hobbit. He was never mentioned in the original book, which concerned his Uncle Bilbo’s adventures. Instead, in what can be viewed as a minor spoiler for the first film in 2012 – so don’t say we didn’t warn you – Frodo will be reading “The Hobbit, or There and Back Again” from the fictional Red Book of Westmarch, which can be seen being handed to Sam Gamgee at the end of The Return of the King. So really, it’s just narrative framework, nothing silly like inserting a young Frodo into the story somewhere.
TheOneRing surmises this could open the door for Sean Astin to reprise his role as Sam as well, or possibly an appearance by other hobbits such as Merry and Pippin. And in terms of other tie-ins, the producers could possibly include the dwarf Gimli in some fashion, since his father is a companion of Bilbo.
But in my opinion, this feels like the people in charge of the film aren’t confident enough of its potential success, choosing to rely on small appearances by popular characters to draw in an audience. To me, The Hobbit remains my favorite of Tolkein’s work, being far more enjoyable and digestible than The Lord of the Rings. It can stand on its own without the need for recognizable cameos. Maybe Peter Jackson should concentrate on securing more crucial actors such as Ian McKellen (Gandalf) and Andy Serkis (Gollum), both of whom are still in talks, before working in superfluous characters.
[TheOneRing via Cinematical]