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Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett already signed for long-awaited movie. By Eric Ditzian Andy Serkis in “The Lord of the Rings” Photo: New Line Cinema After years stuck in the development doldrums, “The Hobbit” has been picking up steam in recent weeks, with a slew of business deals and casting moves in advance of a planned February production start. On the heels of Elijah Wood’s recent deal to reprise his “Lord of the Rings” role as Frodo, Deadline New York reports that Andy Serkis has signed on to once again play Gollum in the two “Hobbit” films. What’s more, it’s looking like Ian McKellen is poised to reprise the part of Gandalf in what’s being called “a major role” in the new films. McKellen has been eyeing a return to Middle-earth for years. Back in the fall of 2009, he told MTV News that “Gandalf is a fantastic part and I long to do it” and that he prefers the character’s “Hobbit” version to his “LOTR” incarnation. “He was more humane somehow,” he added. “He was the guy who liked to hang out with the Hobbits and drink too much and smoke too much.” McKellen, Serkis and their cohorts, it seems, won’t be the only “LOTR” faces to pop up in “The Hobbit.” Cate Blanchett has already signed on to play Galadriel , Christopher Lee is in talks for Saruman, and Ian Holm is in talks for the elder Bilbo Baggins, whose younger version will be played by Martin Freeman. There’s no word yet if Orlando Bloom, who portrayed Legolas in “LOTR,” will return for the new project. “The Hobbit” is set to begin shooting in 3-D in New Zealand in February — a full seven years after the conclusion of the “LOTR” trilogy. Few thought it would take this long. “I think they’re intending to release it on Christmas 2011,” McKellen told us in late ’09, in what would turn out to be wishful thinking. “If they’re going to do that, they’re going to have to get moving on shooting it.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hobbit.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .

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‘The Hobbit’ Adds Andy Serkis, Eyes Ian McKellen