We've been talking for years, it seems, about who might sign up to play Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, and whether director Guillermo del Toro would go for some kind of unknown or try for the biggest name who could convincingly wear hobbit feet. We're still months away from a start date or even a studio greenlight, but Latino Review thinks they've cracked the case of who might step into the lead.

Apparently Tobey Maguire's agent has set up meetings with del Toro and his team to start negotiations for Maguire to star in The Hobbit. Maguire himself mentioned at a Brothers press conference recently that he and del Toro might have something up their sleeves, and execs at CAA have confirmed that talks have begun. This also belies the rumor that the upcoming Spider-Man 4 and 5 would shoot back-to-back, since Maguire would presumably need to take off to Middle Earth not long after Spider-Man 4 ends its shoot next year.

So how about it? Do you believe Tobey Maguire as Elijah Wood's uncle, and more importantly, do you think he can handle the role? I'm personally waitig for del Toro to turn around and hire an unknown, or at least someone less ubiquitous than Maguire-- James McAvoy, say. It's not just that Maguire lost all the love I had for him by acting like a twerp in Spider-Man 3. It seems better for everyone if someone fresher got the job.