the "minor" rolls in these movies are so essential! would you have a lesser actor play Theoden!? or Denethor!?

too good to play minor rolls , but a role they will get if there smart enough to get the in this movie

Hill, Brad Dourif and John Noble are too good to play such minor characters. Most of Hill's lines, although acted with his usual flair, were cheesy.

Why was Hills acting "wasted" in LOTR? I thought he was very good and he fit in quite well.
Blessed not getting a role in the first films has nothing to do with his getting a role in these upcoming films. I remember that Robert DeNiro failed to get a role in GODFATHER but came back to get a choice role in the sequel.

Didn't Blessid's name get knocked around for the original casting ideas for the rings movies too? If he didn't get one then... why now?

Not that it wouldn't be an interesting cating idea that is.

Don't get me wrong Brian Blessed is a capable Shakespearean actor. Regardless of how fit he is, I just don't think he is right for the role in a fantasy film. Bernard Hill's acting was wasted in the LOTR. And that was such a shame.

Exactly Gingeral. Very well stated. The man can act - be it in broad strokes like FLASH GORDON or in doing the Bard himself. He is a true talent. I would love to see him and Ian McKellen acting together. That would be worth the price of admission all by itself regardless of the film.

Yes, he's still in good shape and goes for 10 mile runs every day I believe, there's no question that he's still physically capable of pulling off the role. They're actually sending him up into space for a documentary shortly, and when they tested him physically they found he had the body of a man in his forties, despite being 71! Anyway, Ian McKellen is coming back and he's only 2 years younger! While I admit Blessed does have a tendency towards hammy caricatures and spends most of the time parodying himself these days, when he's given the right role and director (and GDT is damn good) he's one of the most amazing actors on the planet. He played Augustus Caesar in I Claudius in 1976 and his death scene was the best death scene I can remember ever having seen on screen, you could see the light go out of his eyes. He more than held his own against John Hurt, Derek Jacobi and Sian Phillips.

Brian Blessed is an avid mountain climber and is in good shape for a man 20 years his junior. I would love to see some character lines in the face of the Dwarves that are real. Blessed is my top choice and has been so since they first announced these films.

i sure as hell hope its not cg like beowulf
and gdt is famous for loving (to the point of obsession) prosthetics
which is good for me

Might I suggest Rip Torn? He reminds me of Brian Blessed in the 1970's. I loved him in Men in Black, and he was hilarious in Dodgeball, and Freddy Got Fingered.

Since they'll probably CGI the dwarves for much of the film (think Beowulf), Brian's Voice could be used and applied to a dwarf model of him from the 1970's. If a 70 year old could pull it off, I'd be all for it thought.

Blessed is what in his 70's now? Maybe you're thinking of him back during the Flash Gordon days, where he kinda looks like a dwarf. But he was horrible in that film! He's got a thunderous voice and is a capable voice actor, but I just don't see him putting on the make up necessary to complete the character and exerting himself so.

20 years ago I'd be right there with you, but not now.

Most certainly a dwarf...but not Thorin. James Cosmo, Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson or Jim Carter anyone?

without a doubt.

Couldn't agree more. In his younger days he'd have been brilliant as Beorn, too.

You know, I pretty much only remember him from black adder and he would be Awesome! Great suggestion!

OMG
best thorin or balin EVAAA!!