Yesterday, we had a chance to visit with director Guillermo del Toro to talk about his latest film, "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," but we couldn't resist the opportunity to go digging for news on "The Hobbit" as well. So we put out the call to fans, asking them to submit their questions and we'd bring 'em along. And boy did they ever. Read Part I about what del Toro had to say regarding "The Hobbit."

But the biggest news? It came from a question I thought would be a joke.

"Who do I have to kill or sleep with to get a role as an extra?" user Mike Moore asked.

"Oh my god, well that's a good question only in that it's asked often," del Toro said, chuckling. "[But] I believe as the film comes to happen, in either of the two films, [fans] have a good chance of being there." Read more...

He is the clue finder, the web-cutter, the stinging fly. He was chosen for the lucky number. He comes from the end of a bag, but no bag goes over him. He is the Barrel-rider.

Bilbo Baggins goes by many names in "The Hobbit," but one that he will never be known as is Jack Black, MTV News has learned.

Three days ago, The Daily Express wrote that Scottish actor James McAvoy was in "pole" position to claim the coveted role of Bilbo in Guillermo del Toro's two prequel films, but that Del Toro and producer Peter Jackson were also looking at Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Black for the part previously played in "Lord of the Rings" by Ian Holm.

That's news to Black, the actor told MTV News during a Q&A for his new film, "Kung Fu Panda." Read more...

- It's official! Sir Ian McKellen on board for "The Hobbit." (Empire)

- Super-rad! Jonah Hill in early negotiations to star opposite Shia LaBeouf in "Transformers 2." (EW)

- This link will self destruct in 5 seconds: Tom Cruise all but certain to return for fourth "Mission: Impossible!" (/film)

- Knowing is half the battle. Producer discusses "G.I. Joe." (Collider)

- Nicole Kidman to play Dusty Springfield in musical biopic? Writer says yes. (New York Magazine)

Over the last year, we've made it a point to ask as many of the original actors from "Lord of the Rings" as possible to chime in with their opinion of the eventual "Hobbit" movie, and more specifically, to weigh in with whether or not they'd be game to re-enter the world of Middle Earth.

Sure, not all of their characters appear in "The Hobbit," but with a second, transitional film that takes place in the years between the two novels, could we possibly see Aragorn, Frodo, Galadriel, and the rest back for another go round? To hear the actors themselves say it, the answer was a resounding yes.

Well, it's time to put down the pipe weed, Viggo, dust off those ears, Cate, practice your archery Orlando, and get ready to walk around barefoot, Sean and Elijah -– you're about to get asked to go "back again." Read more...

- The more you know: Brendan Fraser and The Rock reportedly offered cameo roles in "G.I. Joe" as Gung Ho and Shipwreck, respectively. (Latino Review)

- Guillermo del Toro premiers the full trailer for "Hellboy II: The Golden Army." (Yahoo)

- Speaking of del Toro, the Mexican auteur briefly speaks "The Hobbit." (EW)

- Johnny 5 still alive! "Short Circuit" remake apparently in the works with original writers scripting. (Variety)

- Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench join Rob Marshall's "Nine." (Hollywood Reporter)

Attention Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, and Sean Astin: You've gone "There." Now get ready to go "Back Again" - at least according to Elijah Wood's conversations with "Hobbit" maestro Peter Jackson.

"I haven't spoken to him directly about it [but] I've e-mailed him, and as far as I know the two films that they're doing, one will be 'The Hobbit' and another will take place between the 60 years that happened between 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings,'" the once and future Frodo enthused to MTV News, possibly confirming rumors that the second planned film would not be a Part II, but instead a narrative bridge.

Which means plenty of opportunities for all the stars of "LOTR" to reprise their famous characters in some capacity. None more so, perhaps, than Wood himself, who would arguably be a central figure along with Gandalf, Aragorn, Galadriel, and Gollum in any connecting story. Read more...

With the recent news that Peter Jackson has signed on to produce two films based on "The Hobbit," we decided to run through our casting choices for roles up for grabs in "The Hobbit" (which you can read here), but we've saved the biggest choice for our blog.

Read below who we think should play Bilbo, then sound off on your choices for the Ring Bearer, Smaug, Beorn, and all the characters in the world's most eagerly anticipated film. Read more...

The word just came in from New Line. There is peace in middle earth at last! Jackson won't be directing BUT he will be overseeing not one, but TWO films as an executive producer.

Details straight from New Line below!

* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, “The Hobbit” and a sequel to “The Hobbit.” New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally. Read more...

Still buzzing from the advance buzz of "The Golden Compass" at New Line's 40th anniversary gala in New York on Friday night, New Line's co-chairmen and co-CEO's Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne were in great spirits -- so we figured they wouldn't mind a little "Hobbit" question. After all, "Golden Compass" features a mini "Lord of the Rings" reunion of sorts, with Ian McKellan (who of course played Gandalf) voicing the panserbjørne Iorek Byrnison, and Christopher Lee (who played the traitor wizard Saruman) making a cameo in the Magisterium (The voice you hear in the trailer is pre-McKellan, with a different voice actor).

So could a bigger "Lord of the Rings" reunion be in the making, as a "cautiously optimistic" Entertainment Weekly reports, possibly with Peter Jackson as the executive producer and someone else directing "The Hobbit"? (Hear what we learned after the jump.) Read more...

Like so many bodies strewn lifeless across the Pelennor Fields, our hopes for an eventual "Hobbit" movie directed by Peter Jackson appeared dead, struck down as the battle for control of Middle-earth wages on. Now however, with recent news on possible movement on a New Line/Peter Jackson conciliation, it appears that our pint-sized friends may return yet again. And that's no surprise to one heroic hobbit.

"I've said since before we started making the movies and have never wavered for a second that 'The Hobbit' would get made," Sean Astin -- who portrayed Samwise Gamgee -- insisted, while out promoting his new film, "The Final Season." "The fanbase wants it. There's too much money to be made doing it. It seems like maybe the time is now." Read more...