I'm getting the impression that they won't cut much from The Hobbit - which is good as there were bits in LotR that they cut that I would have liked to have seen (though I can see why they cut them as they weren't integral to the story). Gandalf taking the dwarves to Beorn's house is one of my favourite bits of the book - so I'm glad he's enthusiastic about the character and seems to have good casting in mind.