Will we find out who The Hobbit’s Bilbo will be during Comic-Con ’09?

A Los Angeles Times blog and Sci-Fi Wire is surmising that a big casting announcement may come during Comic-Con International next week.

Rumor is that it’s possible the name of the lead star of Guillermo del Toro’s The Hobbit will be announced at some point during the Con, fueled by the fact that many of the principal filmmakers on the epic production will be present, including producer Peter Jackson, who will be promoting the sci-fi drama District 9; and possible star David Tennant, who’ll be sitting in on the Doctor Who panel.
According to reports, Tennant, a possible candidate for the role of Bilbo Baggins, just happens to be making his first-ever trip to the expo to promote Doctor Who, a series he will soon be leaving behind.

UPDATED:

Looks like Empire Magazine has deflated fanboy hopes for a Comic-Con announcement, with word that Jackson isn’t quite ready to cast yet.

The filmmaker told the magazine exclusively:

“No, we won’t be announcing Bilbo for a little while,” he said when we asked about a Comic-Con announcement. “We’re starting to think about casting, but we’re knee-deep in the script right now. And when we do go to actors, they’re probably going to ask to see a script, so we’re powering ahead with getting the first draft done.”