HOBBIT CASTING

[JOE SOAP]

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.

Cate Blanchett (“Lord of The Rings” trilogy, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) will reprise her role from “Lord of The Rings” trilogy as Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien. Ken Stott (“Charlie Wilson’s War”, TV’s “Rebus”) will play the Dwarf Lord Balin, Sylvester McCoy (TV’s “Doctor Who”) will play the wizard Radagast the Brown and well-known Swedish actor, Mikael Persbrandt (“Everlasting Moments”, “Day and Night”) will play the shape-shifter Beorn. British actor Ryan Gage (“Outlaw”, TV’s “Doctors”) will play Drogo Baggins, with New Zealand actors Jed Brophy (“Lord of The Rings” trilogy, “District 9”) playing the role of the dwarf Nori, and William Kircher (“Out of the Blue”; TV’s “Legend of the Seeker”) rounding out the company of Thorin Oakensheild in role of the dwarf Bifur.

Peter Jackson welcomed the news of Cate Blanchett’s return to Middle-earth “Cate is one of my favorite 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” On the casting of Scottish actor Ken Stott, Jackson commented “Fran and I have long been fans of Ken’s work and are excited he will be joining us on this journey.” Jackson also welcomed the addition to the cast of Swedish actor, Mikael Persbrandt “The role of Beorn is an iconic one and Mikael was our first choice for the part. Since seeing him read for the role we can’t imagine anyone else playing this character.”

The actors join the previously announced cast including Martin Freeman (TV’s “Sherlock,” “Breaking and Entering”) as Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage (upcoming “Captain America: The First Avenger”), Aidan Turner (TV’s “Being Human”), Rob Kazinsky (TVs “EastEnders”), Graham McTavish (“Secretariat”), John Callen (TV’s “Power Rangers Jungle Fury”), Stephen Hunter (TV’s “All Saints”), Mark Hadlow (“King Kong”) and Peter Hambleton (TV’s “The Strip”). Additional cast announcements include James Nesbitt (“Millions” and TV’s “Cold Feet”) and newcomer Adam Brown.

“The Hobbit” films received a green light on October 15, and have release dates targeted for December, 2012 and December, 2013. Jackson will utilize groundbreaking visual effects and his incomparable storytelling to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel to the big screen. Both “Hobbit” movies will be filmed in Digital 3-D, using the latest camera and stereo technology to create a high quality, comfortable viewing experience.

The two films are being co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production, Warner Bros Pictures handling domestic distribution and MGM distributing internationally.

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/12/07/41135-torn-exclusive-cate-blanchett-ken-stott-sylvester-mccoy-mikael-persbrandt-join-cast-of-peter-jackson’s-“the-hobbit”/

[TordelBack]

...rounding out the company of Thorin Oakensheild in role of the dwarf Bifur.

Surely it's Bombur that 'rounds out' the company!

All very interesting... but does James Nesbitt have to be in everything?

[The Cosh]

Bah. I thought this was going to be a variation on Dwarf Tossing.

[JOE SOAP]

First pictures back at Bag-End:

[R. Ruth]

Peter Jackson is no Hobbit(pictures), But I'm sure he will make the 2 Hobbit movies like we are there. Read the Hobbit a few times in the 70s. Definitely looking forward to the flicks.

[Eric Plumrose]

The more trim he becomes, the fatter the film . . .

[TordelBack]

For all their problems, I'm a big fan of Jackson's LotR films, especially Fellowship, not least because of the real charm of the Hobbiton sequences.  Now I find myself pretty uninspired by the idea of The Hobbit being a visual copy of the previous films - complete with the same cast for the recurring immortals.  The craftsmanship of props and sets, and slavish adherence to the look of Alan Lee's Middle Earth paintings, were big selling points for the originals, but can the same trick have any mileage left in it?  To put it another way, am I interested in seeing Bag End again, when I can watch it on DVD any time I want?  Is it Tatooine all over again?

I wish The Hobbit had been allowed to be its own film, its own adaptation of its own book, rather than a direct prequel to Jackson's very specific vision of LotR.

Yes, I know, I've become one of those internet moaners pronouncing suckage before the first trailer is out.  I'll probably end up loving it.

[vzzbux]

I wonder if Peter Jackson will ever go back to his roots and remake this classic.
I cannot hear his name without this image popping back in may brain.





V

[JOE SOAP]

For all their problems, I'm a big fan of Jackson's LotR films, especially Fellowship, not least because of the real charm of the Hobbiton sequences.  Now I find myself pretty uninspired by the idea of The Hobbit being a visual copy of the previous films - complete with the same cast for the recurring immortals.  

After two critical failures, Jackson has to prove himself again and I'm interested in how he'll approach Gollum and the ring this time round plus there's always Beorn and some spiders and maybe a bit more or an ambling, less fraught and hurried nature to this journey and Middle-Earth'edness. Lake-Town (Esgaroth), a personal fave.

I think Del Toro should have stayed with the films, he may come to regret his decision career wise. With the money and influence these films will accumulate, he'd have his Lovecraft Mountains... film spontaneously greenlit and done the way he'd want. Jackson does need his game back though.

[Robin Low]

I'm interested in how he'll approach Gollum and the ring this time round plus there's always Beorn and some spiders and maybe a bit more or an ambling, less fraught and hurried nature to this journey and Middle-Earth'edness. Lake-Town (Esgaroth), a personal fave.

It seems silly, but the thing I worry about most is how he'll do the wolves. Perhaps the only thing that annoyed me with the LotR movies was the depiction of the Wargs as bloody hyenas.

Regards

Robin

[the shutdown man]

It's so weird looking at those pics now compared to this one and thinking that the LOTR films were filmed around ten years ago. Damn I feel old.

[TordelBack]

It seems silly, but the thing I worry about most is how he'll do the wolves. Perhaps the only thing that annoyed me with the LotR movies was the depiction of the Wargs as bloody hyenas.

Reeeally the only thing that annoyed you?   Not even the Dead Men of Dunharrow being replaced by extras from Pirates of the Carribean?   

[JOE SOAP]

More the fact that they glowed and seemed sped-up.

[Woolly]

It's noted in the extras for Return of the King that the effects guys got very worried when Pirates was released as it looked pretty much exactly like the dead of Dunharrow, and some last minute changes were made.

I'm guessing that was the green glow...

[Robin Low]

It seems silly, but the thing I worry about most is how he'll do the wolves. Perhaps the only thing that annoyed me with the LotR movies was the depiction of the Wargs as bloody hyenas.

Reeeally the only thing that annoyed you?   Not even the Dead Men of Dunharrow being replaced by extras from Pirates of the Carribean?   

Well, there was some mild irritation elsewhere, but I got some ointment for it.

Regards

Robin