Christopher Lee Also Can’t Break the Hobbit

Christopher Lee, start growing that beard again.

In an interview with Empire, Christopher Lee said that he’d be up for a return engagement as Saruman in the yet to titled Hobbit films.

(What, you say? Saruman doesn’t make an appearance in The Hobbit? Don’t forget, they’re making up some new material to stretch the wee tiny little book into two movies.)

Lee reminds Empire that in the LOTR books, Saruman is given a little backstory as one of five immortal wizards:

When it all started, Saruman was the noblest, the finest, the bravest, the most dependable and reliable of them all, he was number one. But somewhere, somehow, and it was never actually explained, he turns and it’s probably the Palantír (the wizard’s crystal ball thingy) that makes Saruman realise that if Sauron can do this, why can’t I do it and Saruman wants to become The Lord Of The Rings himself.”

“I’d be interested in seeing how that transition from good to evil occurred and, yes, of course I would return to the role if I was asked.”

(btw, Gandalf the Grey is one of the others, Radagast the Brown is mentioned, but never appears and the other two don’t rate a name or description)

I think Lee had been somewhat miffed after seeing that his part had been cut from the third LOTR movie, but supposedly felt better when his work was restored on the DVD. So apparently no hard feelings remain.

There you go, then–easiest job in film today? Casting director for the Hobbit movies. Preetty much everyone from the LOTR films is volunteering, if not pushing their way through crowds and jumping onto flights to New Zealand. Other than getting Bilbo Baggins right (no small feat), this casting director is stealing money.