We already know that Guillermo Del Toro plans on having a number of actors from the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy returning to reprise their roles in his two “The Hobbit” films (Ian McKellan and Andy Serkis will probably be back), but is one of them Viggo Mortensen? Yes, if Del Toro has his way. The director, who will be heading to New Zealand to shoot the two films back-to-back, tells Variety that he is currently reaching out to Mortensen, who played Aragorn in the three “Rings” films, on returning to the franchise that made him one of the world’s biggest stars.

Variety breaks down the pre-production and returning casting engagements:

Pre-production is about to get under way on the two-part “Hobbit.” Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are expected to pen the scripts under the direction of Peter Jackson and del Toro. Preliminary contact has already been made with at least three actors whose “Lord of the Rings” characters also appear in the “Hobbit” storyline: Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), Ian McKellen (Gandalf) and Andy Serkis (Gollum).

“We will all be involved in the script in some fashion but the exact definition is about a week away, ” said del Toro. “I am all for keeping the actors who originated the parts, as much as availability and their willingness will allow.”

McKellen and Serkis have already mentioned elsewhere that they’d love to return, and it’s probably a sure bet they will. Mortensen, on the other hand, is a pretty hot item right now, so he might be a little trickier. But if the plot for the second “Hobbit” film heavily involves Aragorn and Arwen as we’ve heard, then they’ll definitely need him back.