[sweetliberty]

"Knowing that Jackson's planning on doing the Hobbit in the same manner, with the same Gandalf, makes this news all the more exciting."

But to use the same Bilbo and Gandalf, he really needs to do the film as soon as possible. The longer from the time of the original, the harder it will be to recapture the original feel of the trilogy, especially considering that the characters would be younger in the Hobbit, and not older, although I suspect that would make little difference in Gandalf's case.

[Thoro]

But to use the same Bilbo and Gandalf, he really needs to do the film as soon as possible. The longer from the time of the original, the harder it will be to recapture the original feel of the trilogy, especially considering that the characters would be younger in the Hobbit, and not older, although I suspect that would make little difference in Gandalf's case.

If it's done within five years, I don't think it would be much of an issue. I doubt we'd notice how younger or older Gandalf appears. However, I don't think Bilbo's actor will have any leeway there. He'd have to be recast, although we will have the same Gollum. That's the scene I'm most exicted about, the riddle exchange.