Hobbit film shoot set for July: McKellen

Ian McKellen, the actor who plays Gandalf the wizard, says the first of two Hobbit films will start shooting in July in New Zealand.

McKellen made the announcement on his website, although producer New Line has not yet given the go-ahead for the film.

A New Line spokeswoman told Variety that no start date has yet been set.

Director Guillermo del Toro is in Wellington, where producer Peter Jackson, who helmed the Lord of the Rings, is overseeing The Hobbit script. Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens and del Toro are collaborating on the screenplay, which would divide J.R.R. Tolkein's novel into two parts.

McKellen also said casting has begun on the film, which follows the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, who obtains a mysterious ring that makes him invisible.

British actor Andy Serkis in the role of Gollom, Hugo Weaving in the role of Elrond and other members of the Rings trilogy cast are expected to return. However, casting for Bilbo has yet to be announced.

Filming of the first instalment of The Hobbit is expected to take a year.

The film could be releasedin 2012.