Viggo Mortensen WAS Asked About Returning For THE HOBBIT, But Declined

Viggo Mortensen WAS Asked About Returning For THE HOBBIT, But Declined

Although the actor has recently stated that he wouldn't rule out a return to Middle Earth if the gaps between The Hobbit and TLOTR were bridged, it turns out there was interest in having him back for the first installments in Peter Jackson's new trilogy also..

By MarkCassidy - May 29, 2013 08:05 AM EST
Filed Under: Fantasy
Source: Via The Playlist

In a recent interview, Viggo Mortensen said that he loved playing Aragorn in Peter Jackson's first Middle Earth trilogy, and that he might even consider returning to the role if the 60-year gap between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings was ever adapted for film. But now while speaking to The Guardian, the actor reveals that there was interest in having him return as Aragorn in the main story, and he declined -- giving reasons that many Tolkien purists will definitely relate to! Mortensen also admits that he has yet to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, but is looking forward to doing so.



"Before they started shooting, back in 2008, one of the producers did ask if I would be interested. I said, 'You do know, don't you, that Aragorn isn't in The Hobbit? That there is a 60-year gap between the books?'

I'm interested in seeing that world again, and seeing what Peter Jackson's done, how he's made use of the improvements in special effects and cameras and the different way of shooting, which will probably enhance the visual aspect of the experience, the sound also. And I'm interested in seeing how he's managed to make three movies out of a relatively slim volume…Jackson is a clever person – I'm sure he'll have done something really interesting with it."



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duncboy
duncboy - 5/29/2013, 8:42 AM
For once an actor that's smart enough to abide by the source material or say "Nope, not happening!"
SomTingWong
SomTingWong - 5/29/2013, 9:04 AM
it would be nice if he showed up. Thats my opinion anyway
Seejay
Seejay - 5/29/2013, 9:26 AM

"No thank" in a very nicely put way.
r4dagast
r4dagast - 5/29/2013, 9:36 AM
Viggo is awesome
lucio7lopez
lucio7lopez - 5/29/2013, 9:39 AM
Viggo have a great respect for the Tolkien's book. Perfect.
BigMikeReviews
BigMikeReviews - 5/29/2013, 9:39 AM
I like how he sarcastically says that Peter Jackson is a "clever" person for stretching a slim novel into three movies
marvelstudios
marvelstudios - 5/29/2013, 10:01 AM
Would've liked it if he showed up. Nonetheless, looking forward to the remaining sequels.

Hopefully they don't stop making LOTR movies. Would love it if they made The Silmarillion into movies.
NoAssemblyReqd
NoAssemblyReqd - 5/29/2013, 10:03 AM
I bet he'll show up, and is only feigning ignorance in the meantime.
AC1
AC1 - 5/29/2013, 10:13 AM
The Hobbit part 1 didn't even scratch the surface compared to the quality of each installment in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I still liked the movie, but TLOTR is in it's own league. I think Jackson made a mistake in stretching the book across 3 films, because the first movie was so stretched out. 2 would have more than sufficed. I'm hoping that the next two don't feel as stretched as the first one, and that all the filler content is now out of the way.

And it's cool to see an actor like Viggo who clearly respects the material and has a true understanding of it.
Seejay
Seejay - 5/29/2013, 10:13 AM

Lotr is great!

The Hobbit (1) was a disappointment however. But on another note, it was true to the book.

Cannot grasp how they will possibly be able to do three films on this book, that by itself is less material than any of the Lord of the Rings books (made into one film per book).
comicb00kguy
comicb00kguy - 5/29/2013, 10:17 AM
Something that warms the heart of this old purist. Here is a man I can respect.

Many of the characters from LOTR were alive and active during the time of The Hobbit, but their time hadn't yet come, and we shouldn't see them in anything more than a cameo role.
Gmoney84
Gmoney84 - 5/29/2013, 10:25 AM
They probably would've thrown him in on the Rivendell scenes just for shits'n'gigs.
SauronsBANE
SauronsBANE - 5/29/2013, 10:31 AM
Lots of respect for Viggo, for staying true to the actual book. If Jackson had his way, The Hobbit trilogy would just be a big, 9 hour reunion tour for all the actors/actresses from LOTR.

@Seejay, the first hobbit movie was "true to the book"? Hardly. There was so much invented material used as filler it was nauseating. I agree with ACira, the quality of An Unexpected Journey doesn't even come close to approaching the level of the original LOTR trilogy. What a disappointment. The only bright spots were Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis. I'm not expecting much at all from the next two movies.
patriautism
patriautism - 5/29/2013, 10:36 AM
As Aragorn was 10 years old during the events of The Hobbit, I don't see it making much sense.. Unless he a REALLY early bloomer..
ruadh
ruadh - 5/29/2013, 10:39 AM
If it was really 60 years before LOTR (I thought it was longer), then it would actually work to stick the footage Jackson shot of Aragorn's first meeting of Arwen in there. If it's 60 years before LOTR, Aragorn would be 20-something.

It's a scene I've been dying for them to release everytime they put out another version.
patriautism
patriautism - 5/29/2013, 10:58 AM

@fettastic Actually he was 87 during the time of the lord of the rings He was born in TA 2931, Bilbo returned to the shire in 2942 making him 10-11.. Frodo leaves the shire in TA 3018, making him exactly 87.

I am a huge LOTR nerd..
The reason he lives so long is because his elf blood as he is a descendant of Luthien.
Khan2013
Khan2013 - 5/29/2013, 11:00 AM
How were they going to put him into the story anyway?
datNAMEtho
datNAMEtho - 5/29/2013, 11:06 AM
I would love him to be a villain in a new Batman film or maybe even the new Gordon...
StarkAnthony
StarkAnthony - 5/29/2013, 11:09 AM
Except Jackson didn't do something clever with it, he just shoved in a bunch of stuff that didn't fit. The movie could have been a lot better
TheSoulEater
TheSoulEater - 5/29/2013, 11:21 AM
-slowly claps-
HAILHYDRA
HAILHYDRA - 5/29/2013, 11:24 AM
Love the restraint Viggo. Glad someone is responsible
catman
catman - 5/29/2013, 11:25 AM
Same here Viggo!!!!!! Big fan of the rings movies but I can't be bother to watch the Hobbit!! Maybe if the next 2 have more action in the trailers I will...??
Seejay
Seejay - 5/29/2013, 11:26 AM
@patriautism - 5/29/2013, 10:58 AM

Actually he is Dúnedain.

They are a race of men, he is not half elf. They are descended from the Númenóreans who survived the fall of their island kingdom (Númenor).
patriautism
patriautism - 5/29/2013, 11:32 AM
@Seejay All Dúnedain are descendants of The elf Luthien and the Mortal Beren, passed down through Elros..

http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/L%C3%BAthien
hartley07
hartley07 - 5/29/2013, 11:34 AM
omg people he's 87 in two towers so he'd be 27 in the hobbit.
patriautism
patriautism - 5/29/2013, 11:37 AM
@hartley07 As I said hobbit it 77 years before LOTR not 60, making him 10.
nach1wan
nach1wan - 5/29/2013, 11:47 AM
the hobbit 1 was a serious dissapointment. it was kinda fun sometimes, beautiful scenery, but it was pointless. nothing of note happens, and its totally predictable.
i'll see the remaining two, but probably not in the cinema. it was hard to stay awake with the first one
pintoman
pintoman - 5/29/2013, 11:54 AM
Eh...a producer asked him? Lol. If it wasn't Peter Jackson, there's no weight to the question anyway. The story I'm sure was never in that much danger of modification.
nmasterofnaught
nmasterofnaught - 5/29/2013, 11:57 AM
@seejay

lol - his line of dunedain are descended directly from the the numenorean kings

- who were descended from elros (the first king & also a half-elven - brother of elrond) a child of earendil (& elwing) who was the first mortal to land on the shores of valinor...
longwalker
longwalker - 5/29/2013, 12:32 PM
we need to campaign for Viggo to play Roland in the Dark Tower series. if the series ever grows legs.
RolandD
RolandD - 5/29/2013, 12:33 PM
I was hoping to see Aragorn in the third movie. I thought that the third movie is supposed to try to fill in the gap between the Hobbit and LOTR. I would not want to see Jackson just makes stuff up though. I was hoping that there was unpublished material, journals etc. that would help fill in what happened.
Seejay
Seejay - 5/29/2013, 12:35 PM

Haha ^^

I see. I thought that Aragon is a Dunadain, who is a race of men descendant of the Númenóreans, who are by themselves descendant of the Edain.

All a race of men, the Edain friendly to the Elves.

http://www.middleearthcenter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19121
Horsemanofwar
Horsemanofwar - 5/29/2013, 12:59 PM
I would love if they can squeeze a small role/cameo for Viggo, who served the previous trilogy so well! I understand that a lot of people would not want that, however this is the movie's take and this is P.Jackson's take on the book. And if he did it, he'd make it good! Mr.Mortensen has my vote:).

The bridge for Aragorn - as the Hobbit ends, Gandlaf explains the necessity to capture Gollum before the enemy does! Gearing Aragorn up for his next adventure within the tale!

.... yeah I'm a Tolkien geek! lol
AC1
AC1 - 5/29/2013, 2:15 PM
The one thing I can't forgive in An Unexpected Journey is the stone giant battle. The way I remember it in the book, it was just something Bilbo happened to glimpse when gazing toward the mountains, and it symbolized that there was a whole world of wonders that Bilbo had yet to see, one which even existed outside of the adventure he was currently having. It seemed like a real turning point for the character, like it was the moment that he embraced his 'Tookishness' and decided he wanted to see more of the world, rather than fully go back to his home routine and be 'just another Hobbit'.

In the film, it became some big action-adventure set-piece, where Bilbo and co. had to climb over the stone giants to get to the cave. It added to the spectacle of the film, but threw away a lot of the depth that particular scene had in the book. What was an understated, powerful moment in the book, became just another CGI gimmick.

Apart from that though, I enjoyed the film, even if it did drag quite a lot. It was amazing to be transported back into that amazing world, and Ian McKellen will always be Gandalf in my eyes so it was fantastic seeing him in that role again, plus Martin Freeman was excellent as Bilbo, and the dwarves were all great too, especially Richard Armitage as Thorin. And I don't think I even need to verbalize the amount of pleasure I had at seeing Andy Serkis as Gollum on screen once again.
Jwe75
Jwe75 - 5/29/2013, 2:19 PM
Great actor and as Norwegian, he Should be in Thor movies!
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 5/29/2013, 2:19 PM
This is an actor you gotta respect.
peppy
peppy - 5/29/2013, 3:23 PM
Welldone Viggo
nmasterofnaught
nmasterofnaught - 5/29/2013, 3:25 PM
@ horsemanofwar

putting aragorn in the hobbit would ruin the pacing of any movie, just for the sake of tying in...

haven't we had this problem in star wars (which 2bh was better for any link to the OT)

@ACira

agreed the troll fight was just... meh..
it was this clever battle of the wits in the book, in which gandalf tricked the trolls to their own demise, but what happened in the movie???

Seriously though... what did happen in the movie, i've actually forgotten!!!
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