Cast the First Hobbit

[Meneltarmacil]

I was thinking Alan Rickman could be Thranduil, especially when interrogating the dwarves. I mean, just look at some of the lines he's going to have and... well, you get the picture.

My friend suggested Antonio Banderas as Bard, although I'll leave that one to you.

[PaleStar]

As someone has probably said before, there shouldn't be that many A-List actors, the hearthrobs. Here are my choices;

Gandalf: Who else?; Sir Ian McKellan. There is no reason, other than if he's dead by then, that he can't be in it.
Bilbo: I'm going to go against some people and say Sir Ian Holm. He, at least to me, is the perfect Bilbo; he captured everything that Bilbo was. That, and I'm sure I can be playfully annoyed by Bilbo's whining in a movie theater.
Gollum: Andy Serkis. It's impossible to be anybody else. Though I would love to see him as one of the elves at Rivendell singing. That'd be so neat!
Smaug: Alan Rickman. I mean, come on; he's perfect. I can just imagine him saying; "you have good manners for a theif and a liar". He's the perfect Dragon, you might say. I don't know about Jeremy Irons; I guess he'd be good, but, I don't know; I'm imagining Scar instead of Smaug.
Smaug has to be CG. I don't know whether they'll act with the customary tennis ball and stick, or have some guy standing there. It's not like you can do mo-cap with a dragon; it has to be made up.
Sean Connery's already been a dragon; watch 'Dragonheart' and see for yourself.
Beorn: Robbie Coltrane. When I first saw him in Harry Potter, I was taken aback. "Geez...he looks like Beorn" I thought. And I don't think he'd have a problem playing Beorn; perhaps it'd let him show off some talent
Bard: A newer actor...not Viggo Mortenson, if that was ever suggested.
Gloin: John Rhys-Davies(sp?)
Thrandiul: Jason Issacs is a perfect choice. Perfect.

I can't think of anymore. And hopefully, there won't be any unneeded romance, though some cameos would be cool. The White Council would be a perfect begining, like a nod to the fans that they listened, but I think they're going to just start with Gandalf and Thorin meeting at the Prancing Pony.
I dearly hope they don't change much. They can literally make the movie exactly like the book, so I don't see why they won't.

[Noxomanus]

^ Well,there is allways the fact moviemakers change stories somewhat for them to be more palatable to an unknowing audience.

I'm sure they'll stick closer to the book then with LotR though. I do fear an Arwen cameo or a girlfriend for Bard is unavoidable though. Now a freakishly outrageous and dark thought comes into mind...Arwen's love for the at the time very very young Aragorn is explained by her pedosexual feelings,that she was later able to supress though they once again became evident in the scene in RotK where she sees her future child....oh,really..'a dirty mind is joy for ever'