The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug…this December

from http://www.empireonline.com

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is an upcoming 2013 epic fantasy adventure film co-written, produced and directed by Peter Jackson. It is the second of a three-part film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien‘s 1937 novel The Hobbit, beginning with An Unexpected Journey (2012) and set to conclude with There and Back Again (2014). The three films together act as prequels to Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

The storyline continues the events of An Unexpected Journey, in which the hobbit Bilbo Baggins travels with the wizard Gandalf, the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield, and his company into the Kingdom of Erebor, taking them through Mirkwood, Esgaroth, and Dale to the epic combat with the dragon Smaug. The film stars Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lee Pace, Hugo Weaving, Sylvester McCoy, Luke Evans, Orlando Bloom, and Evangeline Lilly.

Plot:

The film continues the adventure of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the wizard Gandalf and twelve dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to reclaim the lost dwarf kingdom of Erebor, from Smaug the dragon.

Cast:

• Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins: The main character of the film. He was selected by Gandalf and the Thorin’s Company to travel to the Lonely Mountain.

• Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey: A Wizard that selects Bilbo Baggins to help the dwarves to go to the Lonely Mountain. Also is a member of the White Council.

• Lee Pace as Thranduil: Referred to in the novel as “The Elvenking”, he is the ruler of the realm of the northern part of Mirkwood. He is also the father of Legolas. In the novel, the Dwarves are captured by Thranduil’s guards and locked in his dungeons when they refuse to divulge their intentions.

• Orlando Bloom as Legolas: The Elven Prince of Mirkwood and the son of Thranduil.

• Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel: A female elf from Mirkwood. She is the Chief of the Guards for the Elvenking, Thranduil. Her name means “daughter of the wood”.

• Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman:Bard of Esgaroth was a skilled archer and the heir of Girion, the last king of old Dale, described as “grim faced”.

• Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield

OTHER CAST MEMBERS:

• Cate Blanchett as Galadriel: An Elf, the ruler of Lothlórien and a member of the White Council. The character returns from all the other movies of Peter Jackson’s middle-earth film series. Galadriel does not appear in the novel, but she appears in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.
• Hugo Weaving as Elrond: A Half-elven, the ruler of Rivendell and a member of the White Council.
• Christopher Lee as Saruman the White: A Wizard, the ruler of Isengard and the leader of the White Council. Like Galadriel, this character does not appear in the novel, but he appears in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.
• Sylvester McCoy as Radagast the Brown: A Wizard and a member of the White Council. Radagast is mentioned by Gandalf in the novel, but does not make an appearance; he appears in The Lord of the Rings.
• Mikael Persbrandt as Beorn: A skin-changer; a man who can assume the appearance of a great black bear. In the novel, he lives with his animal retinue (horses, dogs, and cows, among others) in a wooden house between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. Beorn receives Gandalf, Bilbo, and the 13 Dwarves and aids them in their quest to reclaim the Dwarves’ kingdom beneath Erebor, the Lonely Mountain. He is convinced of their trustworthiness after confirming their tale of encountering the Goblins of the Misty Mountains and Gandalf’s slaying of their leader, the Great Goblin. On 3 December 2010, Swedish newspaper Nöjesbladet announced that Persbrandt had been cast in an unspecified role.He was confirmed as Beorn on 7 December 2010. Jackson was quoted as saying, “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.”
• Craig Hall as Galion: Elven King Thranduil’s butler, whose fondness for drink allows for Bilbo and the dwarves’ escape attempt.
• Stephen Fry as Master of Lake-town:The leader of the settlement of Men at Lake-town near the Lonely Mountain. According to Fry, “My character is an opportunity for sheer grossness… [Peter Jackson] had me eating testicles… gross appetites. I mustn’t give too much away but I’ve got a bald cap and then on top of that a really bad combover wig and this wispy mustache and wispy beard and horrible blotchy skin and disgusting fingernails… And generally speaking a really unappetizing piece of work. And a coward to boot and very, very greedy.”
• Ryan Gage as Alfrid: The Master of Laketown’s “conniving” servant. Gage was originally cast to play Drogo Baggins, father of Frodo Baggins. According to Jackson, “Ryan is a great young actor who we originally cast in a small role, but we liked him so much, we promoted him to the much larger Alfrid part.”
• John Bell as Bain: Son of Bard, he is described as “confident and brave and ready to do battle if required even though he is still a boy.”
• Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug and as The Necromancer
• Manu Bennett as Azog: An Orc and the archenemy of Thorin Oakenshield.
• Conan Stevens as Bolg: An Orc and the son of Azog.
• Ben Mitchell as Narzug

The Company of Dwarves

• Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield
• Graham McTavish as Dwalin
• Ken Stott as Balin
• Aidan Turner as Kíli
• Dean O’Gorman as Fíli
• Mark Hadlow as Dori
• Jed Brophy as Nori
• Adam Brown as Ori
• John Callen as Óin
• Peter Hambleton as Glóin
• William Kircher as Bifur
• James Nesbitt as Bofur
• Stephen Hunter as Bombur

From the first movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

   

Related articles

• New Stills And Character Images From THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (comicbookmovie.com)
• Hobbit Article in Cinema Magazine (thorinoakenshield.net)