Unexpected Casting: James McAvoy as Bilbo Baggins?

Would James McAvoy want to don the hairy Hobbit feet? 

Last weekend Dave, my partner in film news crime, gave you the highlights of Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro’s Hobbit update chat, including the info that while Ian Holm will be involved in some way, the part will mostly be played by a younger actor. Well, let the casting rumor mill begin to churn.

British tabloid the Daily Express contributed this info (via Digital Spy):

A source is quoted as saying: “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.

“They’re expected to have talks with him soon so hopefully it could be confirmed in the not too distant future.”

Okay…first, we do have to consider that the Daily Express isn’t exactly the most reliable source. For all we know, they may have heard that James McAvoy read The Hobbit when he was ten. Also, the inclusion of Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Black makes it all sound a little crazy. It’s like they picked names from the movie actor hat and just tossed them out there.

(But just imagine if all three really were in the running. Wouldn’t you love to see the screen tests? What would you get from the same scene read by McAvoy, Radcliffe, and Black? Those three couldn’t say hello with the same intent.)

Here’s more from del Toro on the subject, as told to Empire:

“We are writing based on [Ian Holm’s performance], but other than that, we have ideas [of who could play him],” Del Toro told us. “I can tell you that it’s down to a few names that we all agree upon. And that our first choice…completely, magically, we said the same name. All of us!” Obviously the script is yet to be written by Jackson, Del Toro and Philippa Boyens, so there won’t be a name attached to this for some time (despite poking with sticks Del Toro was mum on the identity of the actor, who probably doesn’t know he’s in the frame yet). Del Toro says we can expect “at least a year before we announce any casting”. So, while they have a name in mind, you can count any forthcoming rumours as false, at least until the script is written.

Well, that makes the whole McAvoy thing sound not quite genuine, doesn’t it? Ignore those rumors!! But it’s not like McAvoy couldn’t be a candidate. He’s hot right now, he’s a good age for it, and while he certainly is cute and charming, he’s…how can I phrase this without sounding insulting? Not rugged? Do you see what I mean? In other words, it’s not like someone started a rumor that Jason Statham is going to play a Hobbit. McAvoy could fit into the Shire.

The question is whether an actor wants to. Yes, the LOTR franchise has been a huge success and offers an actor a lot of exposure. But it’s not like setting off for a six week shoot. It’s something like a four year commitment, and someone like McAvoy, who’s already made a habit of being in prestigious, award winning type pictures, might wonder what else he could be doing while he’s locked up down under. For someone like Elijah Wood, who really needed a career boost at the time, LOTR was a blessing; for someone like McAvoy, who’s probably thinking “Oscar Oscar Oscar” it may not be where he wants to go.