The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The Hobbit: Part 1

News

Stephen Fry joins The Hobbit pub's fight with Hollywood [15th March 2012 11:58:51]

The battle between Hollywood and The Hobbit gained an unexpected new recruit as the British performer Stephen Fry threw his weight behind a campaign to save an imperiled Southampton public house. Fry, who is currently shooting his role as the Master of Laketown in Peter Jackson's Tolkien adaptation, criticised an attempt by the production's lawyers to force the pub to change its name. "Sometimes I'm ashamed of the business I'm in," he tweeted. "What pointless, self-defeating bullying."

The Hobbit pub in Portswood, Southampton, which serves bespoke cocktails named after JRR Tolkien's characters, has been given until the end of May to change its name or face costly legal action. The challenge was launched by Middle-Earth Enterprises, a division of the LA-based Saul Zaentz Company, which controls worldwide merchandising rights to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In recent months the company has also targeted The Hungry Hobbit, a sandwich bar based near the author's childhood home of Sarehole, near Birmingham.

Stella Roberts, landlady of the Hobbit pub, claims it will cost thousands to re-brand the business. "The pub has been called The Hobbit for more than 20-years and it has never been a problem," she said. "I believe the decision to target us now was prompted by the release of the film ... We just haven't got the resources to fight it. I can't fight Hollywood."

In the wake of the legal challenge, a Facebook campaign to save The Hobbit has amassed 15,000 followers. "We are aware of the situation and are currently consulting with our lawyers," said a spokesperson for Punch Taverns, which owns the freehold to the building. Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Aragorn definitely won't return for The Hobbit [24th November 2011 00:00:00]

Viggo Mortenson will not be reprising his role as Aragorn in The Lord Of The Rings prequel.

In an interview with Movies.com, Mortensen stated that he hadn't yet been asked to return.

"At one point, the producers asked if I would do it and I said sure, if Aragorn is supposed to be in the bridge story, because he's not in The Hobbit," he said. "But I've never been asked and they're shooting the movie. I'm not in it unless there is some last-minute plan they have, but I thought I would have heard of it by now."

"Orlando Bloom and Cate Blanchett shot something, but they're elves and don't change as rapidly.

"As you know, Aragorn is half elf and also lives a couple hundred years or more and he could be in a bridge, but I have to assume it isn't going to happen."

Peter Jackson's two-part epic, adapted from J.R.R Tolkein's 1937 novel The Hobbit, will focus on Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) who, along with a bunch of dwarves, goes an epic adventure to the Lonely Mountain.

Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis and Orlando Bloom are all reprising their LOTR roles. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Evangeline Lilly joins The Hobbit as Woodland Elf Tauriel [20th June 2011 04:50:46]

The Hobbit has added two more actors to an already impressive cast: Evangeline Lilly and Barry Humphries have signed on for the LOTR prequel.

Peter Jackson announced the news last night via his ever-informative Facebook page.

Lilly, who is probably best known for her role in TV's Lost, will play Woodland Elf Tauriel. Here's what PJ had to say about her:

"Evangeline Lilly will be playing a new character?the Woodland Elf, Tauriel. Her name means 'daughter of Mirkwood' and, beyond that, we must leave you guessing! (No, there is no romantic connection to Legolas.)

"What is not a secret is how talented and compelling an actress Evangeline is; we are thrilled and excited she will be the one to bring our first true Sylvan Elf to life."

Lilly next be seen alongside Hugh Jackman in Real Steel.

You'll probably be familiar with Humphries (perhaps unwittingly) in his Dame Edna Everage guise. The Australian comic will be playing the Goblin King via the magic of mo-cap technology.

On Humphries casting, Jackson said: "I'm also highly excited that Barry Humphries will be portraying the Goblin King, in much the way Andy Serkis created Gollum.

"Barry is perhaps best known for his business and social connections as the long-time manager of Dame Edna Everage. However, in his spare time, Barry is also a fine actor, and we're looking forward to seeing him invest the Goblin King with the delicate sensitivity and emotional depth this character deserves."

Those are two intriguing names to add to a mouthwatering cast. Lilly certainly has the pristine beauty to play an elf, and it'll be interesting to see what a character comedian like Humphries will do with the freedom of motion-capture performance.

It's promising to see that Jackson is still choosing talent over star power.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens in the UK on 14 December 2012.

Buy The Lord of the Rings Trilogy on DVD and Blu-ray: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - The Extended Edition [Blu-ray] | The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Theatrical Version [Blu-ray] | The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Extended Edition Box Set) [DVD]

  Source: www.totalfilm.com

Benedict Cumberbatch confirmed as voice of Smaug in The Hobbit [17th June 2011 07:08:48]

Clash Of The Titans and Tamara Drewe star Luke Evans has joined Peter Jackson's currently shooting adaptation of The Hobbit.

Evans will play Bard the Grim (otherwise known as Bard the Bowman), a skilled archer and the son of a king. He single-handedly takes on dragon Smaug.

Speaking of Smaug, the colossal winged beast has also been cast ? sort of. Benedict Cumberbatch has signed on to voice the dragon, confirming long-whispered rumours about the Sherlock star's involvement.

Cumberbatch will reportedly play Smaug using motion capture. Proving his versatility, he'll also be providing the voice of Necromancer.

Next up for Evans are Immortals and The Three Musketeers. Meanwhile, Cumberbatch has roles in War Horse and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Part 1) opens December 2012. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Orlando Bloom will return for The Hobbit [28th May 2011 08:00:57]

After much speculation, Peter Jackson has confirmed that Lord Of The Rings star Orlando Bloom will return for The Hobbit.

Bloom had previously hinted at 'talks' and expressed an interest in returning to Middle Earth, but now his involvement is 100% official.

Thankfully the time difference between Lord Of The Rings and its Hobbit prequel won't affect the Kentish actor's portrayal of Legolas, as the immortal, ageless elf won't need any digital de-aging wizardry.

Here's Jackson's statement in full:
"Ten years ago, Orlando Bloom created an iconic character with his portrayal of Legolas. I'm excited to announce today that we'll be revisiting Middle Earth with him once more. I'm thrilled to be working with Orlando again. Funny thing is, I look older?and he doesn't! I guess that's why he makes such a wonderful elf."

Bloom was one of the trilogy's real breakout stars, going from total unknown to worldwide superhunk. He followed the LOTR movies with roles in Troy and a little trilogy about pirates (or something), but he has never had a character as memorable as Legolas.

With his pretty boy good looks, graceful gait and irony-free earnestness, he was pretty perfect as an elf, so it's great to see him return.

The Hobbit: Part 1 will land in cinemas in December 2012. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Two injured on set of The Hobbit [25th May 2011 09:45:14]

According to various sources, a small explosion in a production workshop on the set of The Hobbit yesterday resulted in two crew members being taken to hospital.

Initial reports were mixed and suggested a larger incident, but a set publicist for the production released a statement downplaying the incident, saying "a couple of the guys sustained mild burns but nothing serious".

She went on to say the pair had apparently been "drilling a statue" which subsequently caught fire, and that it was a "slight overstatement" to call the incident an explosion.

Considering that one of the men was taken to hospital with burnt nostril hair, she may have a point.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the fire department was on the scene at Stone Street Studios in Wellington, New Zealand, where production is taking place.

Apparently the pair were taken to hospital as a precaution, as smoke inhalation is a risk with that type of injury.

The Hobbit is currently filming in Wellington, New Zealand, ahead of a 2012 and 2013 release (for parts 1 and 2 respectively).

In the mean time, if someone sneezes on set, expect to hear about it... Source: www.totalfilm.com

Benedict Cumberbatch will appear in The Hobbit [23rd May 2011 09:23:27]

Benedict Cumberbatch is set to appear in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit alongside Sherlock co-star Martin Freeman.

The pair were at the TV Baftas last night to recieve the gong for Best Drama series for Sherlock.

Backstage aftwards, Freeman was asked about his role in The Hobbit, and accidentally let slip that Cumberbatch had signed on to the film also.

When asked about his role, Cumberbatch remained mum; "I can't say at the moment, thank you very much."

An embarassed Freeman added; "I knew I was a sort of a big mouth but I didn't realise to what extent I was a big mouth, and I've just ruined everything.

"I might not actually go back to a job - they might have just sacked me."

Filming is currently underway for The Hobbit in New Zealand. Casting announcements are still appearing regularly throughout production, with Stephen Fry and Hugo Weaving confirmed in recent weeks.

Freeman, who plays titular Hobbit Bilbo Baggins in the two-part fantasy epic, is back in the UK briefly to film a second series of Sherlock, which will air later this year.

The Hobbit: Part 1 will be released December 2012. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Stephen Fry joins The Hobbit [19th May 2011 06:18:15]

Stephen Fry has become the latest British actor to join the cast of Peter Jackson's currently-shooting Hobbit.

The legendary author/actor/presenter has signed on to play the Master of Laketown, which is one of the hamlets that Bilbo and the Dwarves come across on their journey.

"We are thrilled to confirm that Stephen Fry will be playing The Master of Laketown," Jackson wrote on his Facebook page. "I've known Stephen for several years, and we're developing a Dambusters movie together.

"In addition to his writing skills, he's a terrific actor and will create a very memorable Master for us."

As well as Fry, two other actors have signed on to The Hobbit's ever-expanding cast. Ryan Gage will play the Master's conniving servant, while Conan Stevens will play an Orc called Azog.

Jackson also gave an update on how filming on The Hobbit is faring, confirming that they're coming to the end of their first shooting block in three weeks. At that point, the team will take a short break to do a little editing and visual effects work.

The Hobbit: Part One opens December 2012. Fry can next be seen in Sherlock Holmes 2 this December. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Hugo Weaving will return to Middle Earth for The Hobbit [11th May 2011 05:31:35]

Straight from the horse's mouth (or wizard's so to speak), Sir Ian McKellen has confirmed on his blog that Hugo Weaving will be back as Elrond for The Hobbit.

It's happy news for fans after months of rumours and speculation, with McKellen stating: "[The next few weeks of shooting] involve dwarves of course but also elves, with Hugo Weaving returning as Elrond."

Weaving has been working steadily since The Lord of the Rings came to an end, and recently completed filming on comic-book action epic, Captain America: The First Avenger.

McKellen also confirmed the involvement of Kiwi folk singer Bret McKenzie, who'll be reprising his role after cropping up for a 3-second cameo in the original LOTR trilogy.

For Doctor Who fans, seventh doctor Sylvester McCoy has also joined the cast as Radagast the Brown, an old chum of Gandalf the Grey.

The first instalment of The Hobbit is due for release in 2012, with the second part out in 2013. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Peter Jackson casts a replacement Fili in The Hobbit [1st May 2011 11:13:04]

Peter Jackson's Facebook page is a fascinating source of information on all things Hobbit-related.

Yesterday he used it to announce the replacement casting of dwarf Fili, after Rob Kazinsky had to depart the production for personal reasons last week.

Stepping up is New Zealander Dean O'Gorman, best known for TV series The Almighty Johnsons.

In PJ's words: "Dean O'Gorman will be playing Fili. Dean's a terrific Kiwi actor, who I am thrilled to be working with.

"He's recently been in an excellent TV series down here called The Almighty Johnsons, and I should let fans of that show know that our shooting schedule allows Dean to continue with a second series next year.

"Dean will be joining us next week."

Jackson also used the opportunity to announce another new cast member, with Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) coming aboard as Elven King Thranduil.

PJ stated: "He's going to be great. We loved his performance in a movie called The Fall a few years ago, and have been hoping to work with him since.

"When we were first discussing who would be right for Thranduil, Lee came into mind almost immediately."

In a final exciting Hobbit tidbit, Jackson also shared a photo of an old friend who had come to visit the set:

While Jackson doesn't actually state that Hugo Weaving will be reprise his role as Elrond, this is bound to set tongues wagging?

The Hobbit will be released in December 2012. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Rob Kazinsky won't play dwarf Fili in The Hobbit [24th April 2011 11:09:24]

Rob Kazinsky will no longer play dwarf Fili in The Hobbit, as he has had to return home (to the UK) for personal reasons.

Peter Jackson's official Facebook page, which is becoming an extremely rich source of Middle-Earth info, broke the news today.

Kazinsky is still best known for his role in Eastenders. He played Sean Slater in the soap from 2006 to 2009. He'll next be seen in George Lucas-scripted WWII pilot drama Red Tails.

Jackson announced the news with the following statement: "I am sad to report that Rob Kazinsky, who was cast in the role of Fili, is having to leave The Hobbit and return home, for personal reasons.

"Rob has been terrific to work with and his enthusiasm and infectious sense of humour will be missed by all of us. I should say that Rob's departure will not affect ongoing filming of The Hobbit, nor will it impact work done to date, as we had yet to film much of Fili's storyline.

"At the moment we are shooting scenes featuring Bilbo without the Dwarves, which will give us time to find a new Fili. I'll keep everyone posted with updates as they come. Cheers, Peter J"

While it's reassuring to hear that filming won't be affected, the casting department will have a stressful task on their hands trying to find someone who has chemistry with screen brother Kili (Being Human's Aidan Turner) at such short notice.

Let's not forget that Jackson is used to recasting roles late in the day, with Viggo Mortensen only joining LOTR after already-cast Stuart Townsend was deemed too young.

That didn't turn out too badly, did it? Mark Wahlberg also replaced Ryan Gosling in The Lovely Bones under similar circumstances. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Ian Holm will reprise his role as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit [23rd April 2011 03:57:58]

Continuity fans rejoice: Ian Holm will reprise his role as the older Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit.

It's also pleasing news for those who were gutted that Sir Ian wouldn't be digitally de-aged (a la Jeff Bridges in TRON: Legacy) for the lead role.

Peter Jackson announced the news via his official Facebook page, in response to a barrage of questions that followed the superb production video he posted a week ago.

Apparently fans had been asking about a voice heard in that video, and? well, here's what PJ said in full:

"One comment that came up from the recent video blog was the Bilbo voice at the end?many of you assumed it was Sir Ian Holm.

"Whilst Ian will be returning as the older Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, that recording was actually Martin Freeman's voice, taken from a script read through we recorded when the cast first arrived.

"I have to admit, I wasn't sure who it was when I first heard it, either. Cheers, Peter J."

It's pretty reassuring that Martin Freeman seems to be doing such a convincingly 'Holmian' Bilbo, further validating his perfectly-cast status.

It's not yet clear if Holm will appear in Part 1, Part 2 or both.

The Hobbit: Part 1 is set for release in December 2012, and it's jostling with The Dark Knight Rises for the 'most exciting movie in production' crown. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Peter Jackson is shooting The Hobbit at 48 frames per second [13th April 2011 09:10:48]

Peter Jackson has announced, via a post on his official Facebook page, that he will be shooting his adaptation of The Hobbit at the higher rate of 48 frames per second.

The usual rate is 24fps, and has been since its introduction to cinema in 1927. The Hobbit will be the first major motion picture in history to feature the upgrade

Jackson thinks, "after nine decades", it's time for a change.

In the post, he addressed the inevitable backlash from "film purists" by saying that audience will "get used to this new look very quickly" as it will bring about a "much more lifelife and comfortable viewing experience."

He also said that films will become "easier to watch, especially in 3-D", with audiences being able to sit through "two hours of footage without getting eyestrain".

Jackson went onto claim that the difference between 24 and 48 fps is "significant", likening the technological evolution to when "vinyl records were supplanted by digital CDs".

The Lord of the Rings director also thanked Warner Bros for their support in the advancement, before predicting over 10,000 screens would be capable of projecting 48fps by the time of The Hobbit's release.

Jackson, who won an Academy Award for his work on The Return of the King, took over the directing chair after Guillermo del Toro left. He had become frustrated with the constant production delays that had thwarted the project early on.

The Office's Martin Freeman has been announced to be playing Bilbo Baggins in the film, a role originally played by Sir Ian Holm in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, while Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis will be reprising the characters of Gandalf and Gollum respectively. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Andy Serkis will direct The Hobbit’s second unit [6th April 2011 23:20:05]

Peter Jackson has hired Andy Serkis to head up the second unit department of The Hobbit.

With shooting on the two-part adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's tome underway, Heat Vision found out from Serkis himself that he's taking up the camera as well as reprising his mo-cap role as Gollum.

"I think I understand Peter's sensibility and we have a common history of understanding Middle Earth," Serkis explains.

"A lot of the crew from The Lord Of The Rings was returning to work on The Hobbit. There is really a sense of Peter wanting people around him who totally understand the material and the work ethic."

Despite having a lot of experience with motion capture (Serkis not only mo-capped Gollum, but also King Kong), Serkis says that his shooting responsibilities won't be restricted to mo-cap segments of the films.

"It is wide ranging and encompasses a lot of directing aspects of filmmaking and story," he reveals. "Yes, there is some performance capture, but I will be very much on the live action sets and locations helping Peter to tell the story." Source: www.totalfilm.com

The Hobbit finally enters into production [21st March 2011 07:06:45]

The Hobbit finally puts its production woes behind it yesterday when the movie prequel to The Lord Of The Rings entered into production at last.

A press release has been issued in celebration of the historic occasion, and includes two shots from the film's New Zealand set that show off a thankfully very healthy-looking Peter Jackson.
Jackson suffered a health scare last month that postponed production on his long-troubled Hobbit.

The press release also gives us an official synopsis for the movie, which will be split into two parts and released a year apart.

For those who've already read the book, the synopsis won't contain any surprises, but you can check it out below anyway...

The Hobbit follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug.

Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever ? Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities ? A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

The Hobbit: Part One opens December 2012, with Part Two following a year later. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Martin Freeman talks about daunting Hobbit role [6th February 2011 02:27:39]

Martin Freeman has admitted he feels daunted as he prepares to don Bilbo Baggins' furry feet for The Hobbit.

The actor, best known for his British TV work, was cast in Peter Jackson's two-part Tolkein epic several months ago, after almost missing the opportunity due to Sherlock commitments.

Freeman said he was nervous about about journeying to New Zealand when he spoke to Modcast's Eddie Piller: "It's very daunting - the daunting part is leaving home?"

"I'm a real homebody, even before we had children, I was a homebody, so with children it's like aww... I'm very excited though."

He also spoke about almost missing out on the chance to play Bilbo: "I had to turn it down because of being contractually obliged to do the second series of Sherlock for the BBC, which we are doing in the middle of this year."

"I turned it down with a very heavy heart because things like this don't come your way very often. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as far as scale is concerned."

"It's a huge, huge deal. But I was contracted to do Sherlock. I wanted to do both."

Freeman added: "When I found out I couldn't do both it was very sad. And then it was very flattering when Peter Jackson rearranged the filming around my availability."

In other good Hobbit news, Peter Jackson is reported to have left hospital after undergoing surgery for a perforated ulcer.

The Hobbit is due to start shooting next month, with Part 1 still scheduled for release in December 2012. Source: www.totalfilm.com

The Hobbit filming delayed by Peter Jackson’s ill health [27th January 2011 10:02:37]

Tragedy! Just when things were looking rosy on the Hobbit film adaptations, filming is to be delayed once again.

This time, though, nobody's really to blame ? director Peter Jackson fell ill with stomach pains on Wednesday, and underwent surgery last night at the Wellington Hospital for a perforated ulcer.

He's apparently resting comfortably and is expected to make a full recovery (phew), but the fall-out of his sudden ill health is that filming of The Hobbit will be slightly delayed.

"Sir Peter's surgery is not expected to impact on his directing commitment to The Hobbit beyond a slight delay to the start of filming," reads the official statement on the matter.

Filming was set to kick off next month, though no new dates have been officially announced. Better late than never, eh? Get well soon, fella. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Elijah Wood excited about The Hobbit cameo [18th January 2011 10:00:25]

Elijah Wood is excited to don his Frodo feet once more for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit.

"There only would have been reservation about taking the part if there had been something that had infringed upon the integrity of the original book," he said. "But that was never going to be the case."

"I haven't even read the script," said Wood. "It's going to be like going back in time."

Filming will begin in February, and Wood's LOTR co-stars Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis and Cate Blanchett have all signed up to reprise their roles in the two-part prequel.

Orlando Bloom and Christopher Lee are currently in negotiations.

The character Frodo doesn't actually appear in J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit". The familiar cast may appear for an introductory Fellowship of the Rings era scene, to frame Bilbo's life story.

During filming for Lord of the Rings, the nine Fellowship actors got a round of tattoos to commemorate the experience. Will there be another cast trip to the tattoo parlour? "This time around, I don't think so," says Wood. "But you never know."  Source: www.totalfilm.com

Orlando Bloom could return to Middle Earth for The Hobbit [10th December 2010 11:00:24]

Orlando Bloom is set to follow fellow LOTR returnee Cate Blanchett back to Middle Earth for an appearance in The Hobbit. After news broke yesterday that Blanchett will reprise her role of Galadriel for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit double bill, Bloom is apparently also in talks to return as fighter elf Legolas. Neither characters appear in J. R. R Tolkien's original novel, though Legolas' father does. Both have apparently been written into the script by Jackson, no doubt to help link his earlier trilogy with The Hobbit. Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis have already shown an interest in returning, though Deadline report that their deals "aren't completed yet", while Hugo Weaving should also be expected to appear as Elrond. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Cate Blanchett joins The Hobbit [8th December 2010 05:43:44]

Cate Blanchett is returning to Middle Earth for an appearance in Peter Jackson's upcoming The Hobbit two-hander.

Blanchett of course appeared in Jackson's The Lord Of The Rings as Galadriel, who Frodo encounters on his quest to destroy the One Ring.

Jackson's happy, stating: "Cate is one of my favourite actors to work with and I couldn't be more thrilled to have her reprise the role she so beautifully brought to life in the earlier films."

Still, Blanchett's appearance will come as a surprise to Hobbit book fans, as the character of Galadriel doesn't actually appear in Tolkien's original tome. She does, however, crop up in other Middle Earth material, which Jackson has reportedly stitched into his Hobbit films.

Alongside Blanchett, a raft of other castings have been confirmed, including Ken Scott as dwarf lord Balin, Sylvester McCoy as wizard Radagast the Brown, Mikael Persbrandt as Beorn, Ryan Gage as Drogo Baggins, and Jed Brophy and William Kircher as dwarfs Nori and Bifur. Source: www.totalfilm.com

James Nesbitt joins The Hobbit [2nd November 2010 07:52:17]

James Nesbitt has signed on to play dwarf Bofur in Peter Jackson's two-part adaptation of The Hobbit. The actor should feel pretty at home on the movie set, considering he'll be among other Brit TV talents Richard Armitage (Spooks, Robin Hood), Aidan Turner (Being Human) and Rob Kazinsky (EastEnders)."James' charm, warmth and wit are legendary as is his range as an actor in both comedic and dramatic roles," says Peter Jackson. "We feel very lucky to be able to welcome him as one of our cast." Meanwhile, acting newbie Adam Brown has been enlisted to play Ori, yet another member of the company of dwarves who set out to free the Lonely Mountain of Smaug. "Adam is a wonderfully expressive actor and has a unique screen presence," Jackson reveals. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Peter Jackson defends Richard Armitage's The Hobbit casting [28th October 2010 23:06:06]

When we first heard that Richard Armitage would be playing mean and moody harp-player Thorin Oakenshield we were pleased.

But it seems that a section of the Internet doesn't agree, forcing Jackson to defend his choice.

"Thorin Oakenshield is a tough, heroic character, and he certainly should give Leggie and Aragorn a run for their money in the heartthrob stakes - despite being four feet tall." Jackson told Entertainment Weekly.

"In Middle-earth, dwarves are a noble race and have a culture and physical appearance which sets them apart from humans. It's fun to develop these different cultures for the movie, and we are doing much more with dwarves this time around than we did with Gimli in Lord Of The Rings."

"Richard is a powerful actor with a wide range, and we're very excited to be handing Thorn over to him." Source: www.totalfilm.com

Del Toro backs Martin Freeman [27th October 2010 09:09:57]

It's been pretty much the best day ever for Peter Jackson. Source: www.totalfilm.com

The Hobbit to break budget record [26th October 2010 10:31:45]

Peter Jackson will take charge of the most expensive film ever made when The Hobbit finally starts shooting in February 2011. MGM and New Line are handing Jackson $500 million, which will buy a lot of second breakfasts. It's the highest budget in movie history, at almost double the budget for the entire original Lord Of The Rings Trilogy ($281 million), beating the previous record holder - Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End - by $200 million. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Martin Freeman confirmed for Bilbo Baggins [22nd October 2010 02:03:52]

The Hobbit casting department must be a frenzy of activity now that the film's officially been given the go-ahead. But things appear to be ticking along nicely, as nine new roles have already been cast. Source: www.totalfilm.com

The Hobbit in talks with David Tennant [18th October 2010 09:37:22]

The Hobbit movie adaptation has been through a real baptism by fire this year. But with Peter Jackson finally officially confirmed as director, and the two-part project gifted a green light despite MGM's crippling financial situation, the ball can really get rolling. Source: www.totalfilm.com