[Mithalwen]

A little depends on wether it is done as a prequel to the LOTR films - which would mean it made sense to have all the white council stuff - or as a "stand alone" film which happens to feature characters and elements of the lotr films, where the white council would be a needless distraction. Also if he kept it as a children's film (since The Hobbit it is a children's book ), there is even less need for love interest - and the viloence should be toned down. Personally I would love it to be done as one of those wonderful Sunday afternoon children's serials . There are all the little cliff hangers that would lend themselves to serialisation. to I wouldn't shrink the number of Dwarves, although as in the books somewould be more distinctive than others ... Dori and Bombur for example.

Sadly I think Ian Holm is perhaps too old but would it be too confusing to have Billy Boyd, the oldest and most physically similar of the Hobbits? I am sure with a different accent ... I would like Jason Isaacs as Thranduil, Alan Rickman as the Master of Laketown (and maybe Smaug), Hugh Jackman as Bard the Bowman. Maybe J R-D could do Dain if he didn't want to do a bigger dwarf part - or maybe Beorn. I