Sigh. Ya know. I just don't know. Peter Jackson has repeatedly debunked the rumors that Sean Connery is in the running for Gandalf. Over and over again he has denied this, but the rumors persist. For months I've been getting about a bazillion "a friend of a nephew's next door neighbor" reports about Sean Connery being in New Zealand. However, each time I contacted Peter about it, he'd say something along the lines of, "It is not true, I wish he was though, cause then I could get my Bond poster collection autographed." And now, Sean Connery has to go and say the following at Cannes...
'Politics aside, Connery was vague about coming cinematic projects, but said he was waiting to receive a script of an adaptation of J. R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings".'
Ya see.... This sentence means.... what? Does it mean that he's in negotiations? Does it mean that he's curious about the project and is having his agent look into it? Is it his latest way of 'dealing with the press' when they ask about the project?
The fact is... We don't know. We don't have the 'context' information from whence the quote came. Did the reporter ask, "What is your next project?" or "According to rumors about LORD OF THE RINGS, you are in the running for Gandalf, is this true?" or what? I hate quotes like this because fans then run with them. Just... take it easy and relax. Some time this summer we should be hearing the entire rundown for THE LORD OF THE RINGS casting. I mean... in PREMIERE magazine in the POWER 100 listing for BRUCE WILLIS, it says he had his agent contact New Line about a part in the film.... What does that mean? What does Keanu's desire to play Strider mean? Well, basically NOTHING. It means that talent wants to be in this movie. That's a no-brainer folks. I'm telling you now, THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy will be an amazing undertaking and if we all click our heels and wish three times, perhaps it'll actually be one of them there magical perfect movies.
So far there is one cast memeber that I'm relatively POSITIVE is in. And that is FRODO. A week or so ago I reported that ELIJAH WOOD was offered the role of FRODO. I wrote then, that I believe 100% that if this role was offered to him that there would be no way on this planet he'd turn it down. They are his favorite books, he's perfect for the part, the part is fantastic, etc...
Well, I've received a couple of calls from folks in the casting universe that tell me that he's in, but I haven't heard it from the horses' mouth, but one actor that was up for the part of Merry sent this in...
So far there is one cast memeber that I'm relatively POSITIVE is in. And that is FRODO. A week or so ago I reported that ELIJAH WOOD was offered the role of FRODO. I wrote then, that I believe 100% that if this role was offered to him that there would be no way on this planet he'd turn it down. They are his favorite books, he's perfect for the part, the part is fantastic, etc...
Well, I've received a couple of calls from folks in the casting universe that tell me that he's in, but I haven't heard it from the horses' mouth, but one actor that was up for the part of Merry sent this in...
I auditioned here in LA for the part of Merry in early Feb....I know that Peter was in London for the majority of the time receiving tapes from Victoria and reviewing them....I was told I had been edited onto one that was actually sent, but did not get to meet with Peter when he came to LA a couple of weeks ago....I went in yesterday to the same office for another film and was told by the Casting associate that Elijah Wood is definatley offered the role of Frodo, and there is no reason to think he will not accept....by casting an american in that main role, especially in the hobbit foursome, the rest of us Americans have been ruled out for the Pippen, Merry, or Sam roles....let's hope Elijah has a good dialect coach.....
