Casting for THE HOBBIT starts this week, Peter Jackson told HEAT VISION.

Wide auditions are expected for each part except Gandalf, who will again be played by Ian McKellen.

"We're auditioning for every role," Jackson said. "Apart from Ian McKellen, who we obviously want to return as Gandalf, we are not really offering any roles to anybody until we've done a casting sweep."

Jackson added: "(These movies) have never been a star-driven vehicle. The star is (author J.R.R.) Tolkien and the world he created. We are not under any pressure. We want to find the right people. Casting someone to portray a hobbit is not as easy as you might imagine. They have to have a particular type of physical appearance and a sensibility. And the same with an elf or a dwarf. These are fantastical characters, but you've got to find the right people to play them, the right humans to translate these characters."