Sir Ian McKellen, Hugo Weaving and Andy Serkis will all be appearing in the new film version of The Hobbit, director Guillermo del Toro has confirmed.

"(They are back) in the roles from the original (Lord of the Rings) trilogy," the Mexican director told Simon Mayo on his BBC radio show.

Andy played hobbit Gollum, Sir Ian, Gandalf, and Hugo appeared as elf Elrond in the original films, directed by Peter Jackson, who takes on a producer role for The Hobbit.

"Peter Jackson has been incredibly gracious, and respectful," said Guillermo.

"He understands we're going back to that universe but it's to a different director. He is celebrating those changes of sensibilities in a gleeful way with me. We are just two geeks having an incredibly great time."

The director confirmed he would be making two movies in New Zealand from the original novel by Oxford author J.R.R. Tolkien.

"Two films are going to serve the one book," he said. "I feel like a shorter version you would have had to eliminate a few of the things, as a reader, I would consider iconic.

I am trying to preserve the set pieces I consider essential to the book."

The first Hobbit film is slated to be in cinemas at the end of 2011.