Ian McKellen: ‘Hobbit’ To Start Shooting In July

First Published: March 18, 2010 3:16 PM EDT Credit: WireImage

Caption Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood in 2001’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Attention inhabitants of Middle Earth – Gandalf speaks!

According to Sir Ian McKellen, who played wizard Gandalf in “The Lord of The Rings” trilogy, shooting on the “The Hobbit” – which will be split into two movies – is slated to start in July.

“THE HOBBIT’s, two films, start shooting in New Zealand in July. Filming will take over a year. Casting in Los Angeles, New York City and London has started,” the 70-year-old British actor wrote on his Web site. “The script too proceeds. The first draft is crammed with old and new friends, again on a quest in Middle Earth.”

Adding, " The director Guillermo del Toro is now living in Wellington, close to the Jacksons’ and the studio in Miramar.”

But don’t go dusting off those rubber elf ears just yet – New Line, the studio producing the two movies, said nothing has been decided yet.

“We have not set a start date yet,” a New Line spokeswoman told Variety on Wednesday.

Sir Ian isn’t the only familiar face that fanboys and girls will see in the prequels. Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in the first the movies, is slated to reprise his role.

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