Umakadebona umlingisi u-Ian McKellen, oseke wasebenza ku-trilogy ethi "The Lord of the Rings" edlala iGandalf, ubhale ku-website yakhe eqinisekisa ukuba khona kwakhe kule filimu "I-Hobbit", ezogcina iqondiswe nguPeter Jackson:
“Ngineminyaka engu-71 ubudala, ngisesimweni esihle. Unyaka noma ngaphezulu, bengilokhu ngilungisa izibopho zami zobungcweti ekutheni ngikwazi ukwenza i-'The Hobbit'. Sasicabanga ukuthi kungase kube seNew Zealand ekuqaleni kuka-2010, ngaze ngahlangana noGuillermo del Toro ukuze ngibone umbhalo wengxenye yokuqala, kodwa kwaba nokubambezeleka. Njengoba uPeter Jackson esevele ephethe, ngangilokhu ngithintana. Manje siyazi ukuthi sizoqala ngoFebhuwari 21 eWellington. "