Good news everyone! It seems that the leading contestant to bag (get it? Bag!) the role of Bilbo in the upcoming movies to be directed by Guillermo del Toro is none other than James McAvoy:

“A number of names have privately been doing the rounds, including Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Black but James is the one the film’s bosses really want,” the source tells the paper. “They’re expected to have talks with him soon so hopefully it could be confirmed in the not too distant future.”

JACK BLACK??!! For all that is pure and sacred in this world, please NO! James will do an splendid job thankyouverymuch.

And if you read the Q&A chat session that I posted last thursday, you already know that Sir Ian McKellen is returning as Gandalf (Yaaaay!). Not only that, but from what was hinted of the responses given by Guillermo and Peter Jackson, on the second movie they're planning to link the story of 'The Hobbit' with the events that unfold on the LOTR trilogy; in other words they will try to cover a 60 year timespan in which we may see some of the characters that later appear on the trilogy films directed by Jackson—Strider living at Rivendell perhaps? Saruman?—and all the original actors that portrayed those characters will be asked to join in this new project.

So, all in all, I say those movies are starting with the right foot, hairy and all :-)