Consistency... yeah, that's the hard question...
I must say I enjoy the news of Sir Ian and Andy Serkis - not only for consistency but for pure performance. I loved the warmth & love in the eyes of Gandalf and the personality of Gollum in the LotR films and I know I would miss them in the Hobbit if they were not there.
With Hugo Weaving the question rekindles.
He was quite good as agent Smith I think but not as Elrond.
So is
The Hobbit going to be a prequel to
The Lord of the Rings-trilogy as a film? Or is it an independent film? Will it be just something to fill the visual & narrative ideas of PJ and Fran Walsh or is there room for el Toro to bring forwards his own vision?
We'll see... And darn I'm waiting to see it!