[Eurytus]

I think there is a lot of potential with the Hobbit and although it is a children’s book the raw material it contains is good enough that you could choose to go either way with it. They could make it a children’s movie or they could take the bare bones of the tale and make it more adult. In fact when you really look at it, much of the childish tone of the book is there because of the way it is narrated. With lots of asides from the author and the like. Now none of that would feature in a film and with it removed the film would likely come across as not so childish.<BR>One change I would make a bet on though, is that the number of dwarves will be reduced. I can’t see any way in which a studio will retain 13 (often interchangeable) dwarves in the film. I could see it being reduced to a handful. Given that many of the dwarves do not even really speak during the book how would the audience keep track of who’s who. More to the point, will they care?<BR>I believe they would obviously keep Thorin and Balin. Probably Bombur (he is somewhat recognisable), Gloin (the link with Gimli should be enough here) and maybe Fili and Kili for the pathos of their deaths. Beyond that though would they really include another 7(!!) dwarves? I can’t see it.