Casting Bilbo

In what’s becoming something of a tradition between MTV News and Guillermo del Toro, every time we have a chance to chat with the Mexican-born director, we harass him for news about who’s been cast as Bilbo Baggins in his upcoming adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's “The Hobbit.” Last year, he said it was still too early to speculate about the man who would be Baggins. Then at Sundance in January, del Toro announced that he’d narrowed the search to just four actors. So when the director stopped by the MTV offices today to chat about his new vampire novel “The Strain,” everyone had to know the “Hobbit” question would rise again.

It did, and del Toro revealed that four possible Bilbos had now become one. “I believe we’re very close now to saying one name,” he said, adding that he expects to make an announcement in the next few weeks.

Check out the interview below to hear some additional details on del Toro's casting decision and why he absolutely hates keeping secrets.