The Hobbit to start shooting at last

Filming of the long delayed prequel to Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy is to start on the 21st of March, with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic precursor The Hobbit split into two parts to incorporate bridging elements with the earlier movies. The two films were originally slated for release in 2010 and 2011 but following numerous setbacks and the departure of would-be director Guillermo Del Toro, The Hobbit: Part 1 will now be coming to theatres in December 2012 with the second film following a year later.

Following Del Toro's exit, Jackson will again sit in the director's chair, lensing the film in studios in the Kiwi capital Wellington, with the production also making use of New Zealand's stunning landscapes once more. Before his exit, Del Toro did collaborate on the screenplay with Jackson and LOTR trilogy scribes Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, leaving room for tantalising speculation as to how Del Toro's sensibilities will influence the final film.

Martin Freeman will take up the role of the younger Bilbo Baggins, with Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Cate Blanchett, Elijah Woods and Andy Serkis reprising their previous roles and the likes of Orlando Bloom and Viggo Mortensen also linked to a possible return. Newcomers confirmed so far include Saoirse Ronan, Richard Armitage and James Nesbitt.