‘The Hobbit’ Cast List

With the release of Peter Jackon’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey earlier today, I’ve written a cast list so we know who to expect in this epic two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s novel, the prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The film follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who we met as an old man in Lord of The Rings. Now at a much younger age, and played by British actor Martin Freeman, Bilbo is swept into a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining the company of thirteen dwarves through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins, Orcs, deadly Wargs, 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, Bilbo gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring – a simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

First up, the thirteen dwarves:

Leader Thorin Oakenshield – British actor Richard Armitage (Captain America).
Dwalin – British actor Graham McTavish (Colombiana),
His brother Balin – British actor Ken Stott (One Day).
Thorin’s nephews: Kíli – British actor Aidan Turner (UK TV’s Being Human),
and Fíli – New Zealand actor Dean O’Gorman (TV’s The Almighty Johnsons).
Dori – New Zealand actor Mark Hadlow,
His brother Nori – New Zealand actor Jed Brophy (The Warrior’s Way),
and their brother Ori – British actor Adam Brown.
Father of Gimli, Glóin – New Zealand actor Peter Hambleton,
His brother Óin – New Zealand actor John Callen.
Bombur – American novelist Stephen Hunter,
His brother Bofur – British actor James Nesbitt (Coriolanus),
and their cousin Bifur – New Zealand actor William Kircher.

Several actors from Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy will also reprise their roles, including Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Andy Serkis as Gollum, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Christopher Lee as Saruman the White, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Orlando Bloom as Legolas, and Ian Holm as old Bilbo Baggins

Other cast members include British actors Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse) as the voice of Smaug, Stephen Fry (Sherlock Holmes) as Master of Lake-town, Luke Evans (Immortals) as Bard the Bowman, Sylvester McCoy as wizard Radagast the Brown, Jeffrey Thomas as Thráin II’s father Thrór, Ryan Gage as The Master of Laketown’s servant Alfrid, 9 year John Bell as a currently unknown character, as well as Evangeline Lilly (TV’s Lost) as elf Tauriel, Mikael Persbrandt as shape-shifter Beorn, Lee Pace (The Resident) as Thranduil “The Elvenking”, Mike Mizrahi as Thráin II, Bret McKenzie as elf Lindir, Barry Humphries as the Great Goblin, and Conan Stevens as Orch chieftain Azog.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D theatres on 14th December, 2012. The second film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, has been filmed back-to-back with the first part and will follow with a release a year later on 13th December, 2013.