In the press room after the Oscars, PJ said he would want the Hobbit to feel like part of the trilogy and would want Ian M. to play Gandalf - but he didn't mention Ian Holm - and I think Holm is too old to play Bilbo at that age.

Of course, all this depends on MGM and New Line figuring out the distribution rights....

I seem to recall Sir Ian saying that he'd love to play Gandalf the Grey again, and that G. the G. was a lot more fun to play than G. the White.

The best thing you could do is have a very subtle mass letter campaign, very subtle, very polite to New Line's boys and MGM's boys telling them to sort The Hobbit rights out.

I doubt that this deal is being held up because of lack of motivation. MGM probably has NL over a barrel trying to get as much of that sweet, sweet LotR money as possible...and there's not much NL can do about that. Perhaps they'll work out a distribution or backend deal instead.

You made that sound like porn, you big contract!perv.

Other contract!perv.

I'm pretty optimistic that the prospect of making piles of money will enable those two companies to come up with a deal.

Nothing makes people stupid like piles of money though.

I have to admit yelling "One of us!" during any of Richard Taylor's acceptance speeches.

Oh, and, didja see that ratings for the Oscars were markedly up this year from previous? LOTR even loans fans to the Oscars!

Gandalf the Grey is more fun to *watch* than Gandalf the White, too.

Well, except when he goes medieval. Then he's fun no matter how bleached he is...

Gandalf the White was damn scary at times. He'd never dance with hobbits at a birthday party. But, Gandalf the Grey probably wouldn't have given Denethor the smackdown or taken control of Minas Tirith. And that's a distinction I never got from reading the books.

I like Gandalf the White better, because he didn't have a silly pointy hat.