Director Peter Jackson confirmed today the final piece of casting on his upcoming THE HOBBIT, to be released as two 3D movies telling the story of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) fighting a dragon named Smaug (voice of Benedict Cumberbatch) and discovering the Ring that would later be discovered by Frodo.
According to Variety, Jackson signed Scottish comedian Billy Connolly to play the dwarf warrior Dain Ironfoot in the films based on the J.R.R. Tolkien novel set some 60 years before the adventures in The Lord of the Rings.
Jackson shot the first segments of the films beginning in March 2011 in New Zealand.
Connolly joined other newcomers including Ken Stott as Dwarf Lord Balin, Sylvester McCoy as wizard Radagast the Brown, Mikael Persbrandt as shape-shifter Beorn, Ryan Gage as Alfrid and Jed Brophy as dwarf Nori, Stephen Fry as the Master of Laketown and William Kircher as dwarf Bifur.
Cate Blanchett signed on to return as Galadriel, as well as Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Andy Serkis as Gollum and Orlando Bloom as Legolas.
The Hobbit was able to begin production when Warner Bros. confirmed that it would cover the entire production costs of the two films including MGM’s share, estimated at over $500 million, in exchange for worldwide theatrical distribution.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens Dec. 14 and The Hobbit: There and Back Again opens Dec. 13, 2013.