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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Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.