: What would be your source for a female Gandalf, if you don't mind my asking?

I don't know about Matt, but I saw it on your LotR/Hobbit Movie Rumors page (it was in Linda Jones' post--so was the rumor about Sean Bean, as a matter of fact). I haven't seen it anywhere else, though.

: I was disappointed in the Bakshi and Rankin/Bass films, but I welcome another effort and even more beyond that. None will be true to the book, though some will come closer than others. For me, the movies will help the tradition grow, even if they botch the job as before.

True...and even if the film is bad, we can have fun tearing it to shreds on the Internet! :-)