Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro stated in the live internet chat from a few weeks back that any of the Lord of the Rings actors who wished to return would be welcomed and fit into The Hobbit.

Unsurprisingly, we’ve heard many of the alumni voice their interest in coming back since the film was greenlit - the latest being Christopher Lee who played the evil wizard Saurman in the three films.

Lee was the only acting member of the crew to have ever met the book’s author J.R.R. Tolkien before his death and claims he reads the LOTR books once a year religiously, so I can’t say I’m surprised at all by these comments to Empire…

“I’ve read the books time and again,” said the 86-year-old. “Originally Saruman The White and the rest of the wizards, or the Istari as they call them, were immortal. There were five of them, two of them never appear, I know their names but they never appear, and the only three that are mentioned are Saruman The White, Gandalf The Grey and Radagast The Brown who you never see – so basically it’s two wizards.

“They lived for thousands of years and they were sent to the earth and they are virtually immortal. When it all started, Saruman was the noblest, the finest, the bravest, the most dependable and reliable of them all, he was number one. But somewhere, somehow, and it was never actually explained, he turns and it’s probably the Palantír (the wizard’s crystal ball thingy) that makes Saruman realise that if Sauron can do this, why can’t I do it and Saruman wants to become The Lord Of The Rings himself.”

“I’d be interested in seeing how that transition from good to evil occurred and, yes, of course I would return to the role if I was asked.”

Lee is now 86 but hasn’t slowed down his extensive list of future acting roles. And if you ask me, after Jackson unforgivably left out the important death scene of Saruman from the theatrical cut of the movies which was a dreadful mistake, it would be really fitting to see him go out in this series on a higher note with some scenes in The Hobbit or it’s sequel.

Meanwhile, Guillermo del Toro has refused to confirm or deny all the current casting rumors over who should play Bilbo Baggins but has said to IGN that they are aiming to let us know who it will be around Christmas time.

source - the one ring