The Hobbit to start filming in June

There’s been a lot of rumors swirling about on the overall production of Guillermo Del Toro’s The Hobbit, but today there’s finally a confirmation of something, and thankfully for some that’s the date that filming starts. Ian McKellen puts the Lord of the Rings fans heart to rest when he told this to his official website (via CS!).:

The Hobbit’s, two films, start shooting in New Zealand in June. Filming will take over a year. Casting in Los Angeles, New York City and London has started. The script too proceeds. The first draft is crammed with old and new friends, again on a quest in Middle Earth.

There are two parts to the Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit that Guillermo will be directing with talent like Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving and Andy Serkis reprising their roles. The Hobbit is being handled by MGM, New Line Cinema, WingNut Films and Warner Bros Pictures.