A bit of a double bummer of news here for some big upcoming projects.
First off, Saoirse Ronan, long rumored (and frequently questioned) for Peter Jackson‘s two-film spanning “The Hobbit,” has finally put the rumors to rest. In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, the actress reveals that the long shooting schedule and her interest in a number of other projects has forced her to bow out. “It’s probably not going to work out with ‘The Hobbit’ unfortunately,” she said. “Because I would have been working for about a year on it and there were other projects that I was very interested in, but Pete and [his producer wife] Fran [Walsh] have been very good about it and very understanding.
So while there is likely to be more casting here and there over the length production, don’t expect Ronan’s name to pop up.
Meanwhile, Michael Sheen, who was circling a role in Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows,” has moved on. “…it was something that got talked about, but it’s not happening. It was a bit premature,” he told Collider.
So onwards and upwards, everybody. “The Hobbit Part 1” lands in December 2012 and “Dark Shadows” is expected next year as well, though no date has been set.
