First Hobbit stills released

Behold! Martin Freeman as Bilbo. [EW via @Tour_with]

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mellowknees

I didn’t think it was possible, but now I love Martin Freeman EVEN MORE.
Anonymous

Martin? I thought it was Morgan Freeman.
Heh.
I predict a baby boom amongst geeks say Sept. 2013, as the Dec. 2012 release will surely create a lot of arousal.
irksome

So Spock mated with a midget. Trying hard to give a damn.
- harryhood
  
  I may just be reading the wrong articles, but it seems like not giving a damn is becoming a more popular trend than usual with BB readers, which, in and of itself, is mildly irksome. The influence that LOTR had on cinema was drastic and will be everlasting; I for one am thrilled to have even an inkling of insight as to how The Hobbit movies are coming along.
- Brainspore
  
  So Spock mated with a midget.
  
  Well, he is on record with having a thing for hobbits in general and Mr. Baggins in particular.
- Anonymous
  
  I understand. If you have trouble caring about the things you think you should, to the point where you have try hard to remain engaged with what you would regularly enjoy, you should seriously consider talking to a councillor or psychiatrist. You may be suffering from a condition they can help with.
- Finnagain
  
  Thanks for sharing, whiny internet guy!
- snakedart
  
  If this is you trying hard, I’d hate to see half-assed.
Kaz

I first read this as “Morgan Freeman” as Bilbo…
- Felton / Moderator
  
  Nah, he would have been Gandalf.
Mujokan

When the question came up: who should play Bilbo?, I thought of this guy.

Don’t quite get the ears. Neither elves nor hobbits have pointy ears in Tolkien. But then I haven’t been able to watch the LOTR movies (despite ties to NZ) because every time I’ve watched five minutes of it I’ve felt like throwing a heavy object through the TV screen.
- peterbruells
  
  Hobbits did – Tolkien described them in a letter as “slightly pointed”. (The ears, not the hobbits.)
  - Mujokan
    
    Wow, way to cite some obscure letter from 1938! Kudos :)
Rick.

Also, not giving a damn by posting a comment about the subject? UR DOING IT RONG.
- grimc
  
  He’s trying to give a damn.
MrsBug

Martin Freeman? I just watched him in two of BBC Masterpiece Theater’s Sherlock Holmes as John Watson. I love that guy! Oh, and the Sherlock Holmes episodes were crackerjack.
- Anonymous
  
  Crackerjack! That’s a real humdinger of an expression.
- Tdawwg
  
  You need to check out who’s voicing Smaug. You will kvell!
  - LadysmithLiz
    
    Oh, yes. When that was confirmed, all the Sherlock fans squeed like… well, like fangirls. ;-)
knellotron

It’s a bit strange how the slideshow transitions into the next section without any warning. For a second there, I was left wondering what Lenny Kravitz and Woody Harreleson would be doing in The Hobbit.
knoxblox

Wow. Arthur Dent, Dr. Watson, and now Bilbo Baggins. This guy gets so many good roles.
Antinous / Moderator

For those who haven’t been keeping up, the film is turning into Hobbiton, 90210. Most of the dwarves are played by young pretty-boys and there are a bunch of starlets playing heretofore unknown woodland lady-elves in featured roles.
DeWynken

They care. They just want to affect the current hipster bs. of ‘being so dead inside, I’ve seen all and am only 23′, posting comments like “I don’t care” makes them feel accomplished.

Bring on the little ones! Pointy ears or not!
- irksome
  
  a: 53 and have indeed seen it all.
  b: Not particularly obsessed with a few B-movies of a mediocre trilogy plus one.
  c: And I did say I was TRYING. Just without any success.
  
  If I go see it, will you lend me your Ewoks costume? I can’t seem to get the blood and semen stains out of mine.
  - Teller
    
    Nice riposte. And I do care about ripostes.
jimh

Mr. Freeman = splendid hobbit.
irksome = average troll.
wil9000

To all the negative “I don’t care” trolls:

In the words of Thumper: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

And I thoroughly agree with DeWynken. I mean, seriously, why bother to comment when all you actually want to say is “I’m way too cool and disaffected to be bothered to comment on this, but I’m going to comment on this anyway, but only to say how disaffected I am by this, and how it’s below my haughty notice, even though I’m actually proving your point by even bothering to commenting in the first place.”

In the words of Marvin:
“Uh, bring it, leave it, I think I’ll shut myself off.”
querent

We must away ere break of day….

Live like a Took, bitches!
franko

it makes me giddy just seeing these images.