While he has no reason to believe that he'll be offered the pivotal role of Bilbo Baggins in the two-part movie version of "The Lord of the Rings" prequel "The Hobbit," Frodo Baggins actor Elijah Wood said that he would have to respectfully decline if the opportunity came about.

"I don't think it would be appropriate for me to do it," Wood said in an @ The Movies interview Friday. "I think that the very fact that I've already played a character associated with the world of 'The Lord of the Rings' and Middle Earth. I think it would feel wrong to embody a different character, even if they are related."

Director Guillermo Del Toro is currently at work on the film adaptations of the famed J.R.R. Tolkien novel, which will be produced and co-written by "Rings" filmmaker Peter Jackson.

Wood said that he could understand why people would think he's a natural to play Bilbo, who was played in his later years by Ian Holm in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

"Conceivably you could make the argument that the story takes place many years earlier and maybe they look like each other," Wood said. "But I just don't see it. I feel like I've done so much to establish Frodo that it wouldn't feel right. If there was another way for Frodo to exist on some level in one of those movies, I would certainly be totally excited about doing that. But I don't think that's going to happen."

Wood next stars in a voice role as the title character in the animated adventure fantasy "9," produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov, and directed by Shane Acker in an adaptation of his own short film.

Of the previous "Lord of the Rings" stars, Ian McKellen has been confirmed to reprise his role of the wizard Gandalf for "The Hobbit," which reportedly will begin filming in March.