Deadline.com is reporting that Orlando Bloom is expected to reprise his role as Legolas Greenleaf in the upcoming ‘Hobbit’ films. You may ask, how can this be? Well, quite simply, the character of Legolas was very much alive during the timeframe of The Hobbit. In fact, he was probably several thousand years old at the time of The Lord of the Rings! Since Legolas is the son of Thranduil (The Elvenking), a major player in ‘The Hobbit,’ one can easily see Peter, Phillipa, and Fran writing him into the script. *MINOR SPOILERS* Not only would he appear in Mirkwood with the other wood-elves, he could very well lead the wood-elf contingent into the Battle of Five Armies! Deadline also mentions the negotiations for Ian McKellen, Hugo Weaving and Andy Serkis are still ongoing. [Read On]
Category: Hobbit Cast News
The “Hobbit” cast is looking good. Really good. Oooooooh yeah, realllllly good.
Maybe too good?
When rumors began to swirl almost immediately after “Return of the King” left the theaters that a “Hobbit” film was inevitable, I made a prediction: There is no way they can sell a film with 13 Gimli-faced dwarves.
“Mark my words,” I grumbled, “you are going to see HOT DWARVES in this movie. Think of the fan girls!!!”
And it seems I may be right.
When you look at the success of the “Lord of the Rings” movies, a good portion of it can definitely be attributed to die-hard Tolkien fans who unreservedly embraced Peter Jackson’s vision.
But an even more significant part of the audience was made up of people – let’s face it, women – who really liked the eye-candy. From Legolas to Aragorn to the adorable hobbits to the nameless elf who became an internet sensation: Figwit. Continue reading “To Be Hot or Not? That is the Dwarf Question”
From L to R: Sylvester McCoy, Mikael Persbrandt, Cate Blanchett, Ken Stott, William Kircher, Jed Brophy & Ryan Gage
CATE BLANCHETT, KEN STOTT, SYLVESTER MCCOY, MIKAEL PERSBRANDT JOIN CAST OF PETER JACKSON’S “THE HOBBIT”
Los Angeles, CA—December 7, 2010—Cate Blanchett, Ken Stott, Sylvester McCoy and Mikael Persbrandt and have joined the cast of Peter Jackson’s highly anticipated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic “The Hobbit.” Also joining them are Ryan Gage, Jed Brophy and William Kircher. The films, which are scheduled to commence principal photography in February 2011, mark Jackson’s return to Middle-earth following his Oscar-winning “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. The announcement was made jointly today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema, Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. and Steve Cooper, co-Chief Executive Officer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Jackson, who directed all three “Lord of the Rings” films, will helm the two films back-to-back, telling the story of “The Hobbit” in two parts from a screenplay by Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro. Continue reading “TORN EXCLUSIVE: CATE BLANCHETT, KEN STOTT, SYLVESTER MCCOY, MIKAEL PERSBRANDT JOIN CAST OF PETER JACKSON’S “THE HOBBIT””
Spy Tomper sends in a report that Mikael Persbrandt has been cast for an unknown roll in ‘The Hobbit.’ The link we were sent isn’t in English but our spy reports, “He is one of the best known actors in Sweden today,” and “(he) is known for playing macho characters and a rather stiff way of acting.” So there you go!
(8AM ET) UPDATE: Thanks to Ringer Indil for sending in a translation of the article. Key points…Role is currently not known, however we do know it is ‘nordic.’ The article claims Cate Blanchett is returning (not yet announced) and that Mikael has already taken part in wardrobe testing. His agent has no comment related to the rumor.
Click the ‘Continue Reading’ button for the full translation. Continue reading “UPDATE: Swedish actor Mikael Persbrandt cast in ‘The Hobbit’?”
The BBC has a great interview with actor Sylvester McCoy today that, again, confirms his role as Radagast the Brown in the upcoming Hobbit Films. We are pasting the relevant parts below, but make sure you check out the full interview with some other juicy tidbits at the BBC site.
With the internet awash with casting rumours, how much can McCoy actually say? After all, his role has not been officially announced.
Sylvester McCoy played the Doctor on TV from 1987 to 1989. “I can’t say anything! I don’t even know if I’ve said too much already,” he admits.
“I’ve already got my wrist gently tapped. I just want to tell the world about it… I know it’s all bubbling away and plans are being made.” McCoy is no stranger to Peter Jackson. He was down to the last two for the role of Bilbo Baggins in Lord of the Rings.
“The other actor got it, and that was Ian Holm,” says McCoy. How does he feel about just missing out on such a major part?
“In a way you think, what a pity Ian Holm wasn’t working that week,” he says wistfully.
“But at the same time it was an honour to be up against Ian. He won, and he’s a brilliant actor.
“As an actor this happens all the time. You never know which way things go.”
That also holds true for the Hobbit’s drawn-out casting process. “When they sent out the character description for the part I’m playing, it says he’s between 57 and 75.
“When it started out I was 57, but it’s taken so long to get to fruition I’m now 75!” (Not so – he is actually 67.)
This reporter’s amateur take? The reason Sylvester has not been officially announced has more to do with adapting The Hobbit for screen and storytelling liberties, than something contract related…but I could be wrong! Afterall, we do already know that Radagast plays no major role in The Hobbit, but his role in the films is rumored to be significant. We are all looking forward to Sylvester and Sir Ian official announcements any day!
[Read On]
(Thanks to Michael from DeHobbit.net for sending us this link.)
Actor Martin Freeman has been fitted for prosthetics to play Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, he has told the BBC.
“I’ve had wig, feet, ears,” he revealed at the Evening Standard theatre awards on Sunday. “Full steam ahead for me to look like Bilbo.”
Clybourne Park – in which Freeman starred – won best play at the event.
He said it was “really disappointing” he would not be able to perform in the West End transfer of the play because of his Hobbit commitments.
“In an actor’s life, there are so many times you hear ‘this will definitely go into the West End’ – and it doesn’t,” he told the BBC news website.
“I’ve heard that so many times, and the one time I do have the West End transfer, I can’t do it.
“it’s for a lucky good reason that I can’t do it,” he continued. “But I will feel a bit of a pang of regret that I’m not with them, definitely.”
[Read More] (thanks to Ringer Izzy for the tip!)