The Hobbit shoot starts in July

Just a quick one. Sir Ian McKellen revealed yesterday that the shoot for the long-awaited movies of The Hobbit was set to start this coming June. Since then, he's updated things to confirm that it's going to be a July start date for the two films, which are being shot back to back.

Production on The Hobbit Part I and The Hobbit Part II is expected to last just over a year, and it's widely expected now that the release of the first of the films will be put back to 2012, from the original Christmas 2011 slot. Guillermo del Toro is directing, and the thought of him finishing filming next August and then putting together a finished cut of such a complex-looking film in a few months doesn't sound entirely realistic. But we await official confirmation on the news.

We're also eagerly awaiting the casting news as to who will be playing Bilbo Baggins. Lots of people have been linked to the part - David Tennant included - but we wait and see just who Messrs del Toro and Jackson have chosen in due course.