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All Shall Love Me And Despair

By TK | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (27)

cate_blanchett_the_lord_of_the_rings_the_fellowship_of_the_ring_001.jpg

In some ways, this is surprising — those who have read J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit probably recall that Galadriel… isn’t in the book. But Peter Jackson’s playing it a little fast and loose, as he did with the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, and she’ll be making an appearance in his two-part adaptation of The Hobbit. Jackson has already stated that he’ll be including some material from Tolkein’s other works, and possibly even creating some new connections. Frankly, I’m OK with that, because more Cate Blanchett is never, ever a bad thing. What role Galadriel will play in Bilbo’s quest is unknown, but since I’m one of those who adored the Rings trilogy, I’ve got no complaints. Blanchett was marvelous in her limited role in the first three films, and I’ve no reason to believe that she’ll be any less so now.

A few other characters have been cast as well. Up until now, we know that Ian McKellan will return as Gandalf, Martin Freeman will play Bilbo Baggins (the role portrayed by Ian Holm in the first films), Richard Armitage (Season 7 of “Spooks” aka “MI5,” the upcoming Captain America adaptation) will play Thorin Oakenshield, and James Nesbit (“Jekyl,” Bloody Sunday) will play Bofur.

Now we have some new additions, courtesy of Slashfilm:

Ken Stott (Charlie Wilson’s War) - Balin
Sylvester McCoy (“Doctor Who”) - Radagast the Brown
Mikael Persbrandt - Beorn, the skin-changer who can become a bear
Ryan Gage - Drogo Baggins, father of Frodo
Jed Brophy (The Lord of the Rings) - Nori, brother of Ori (Adam Brown) and Dori (Mark Hadrow)
William Kircher - Bifur, Bofur’s cousin

There you go. Lots of dwarves in this one, so expect a great deal more magical CGI shrinking.









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Comments

Awesome.
And they're including Beorn.
That actor looks like he could almost be Anthony Stewart Head's twin brother.

Posted by: Rykker at December 8, 2010 10:26 AM

I'm predicting it will be 75% longer than it needs to be and will include multiple scenic shots of New Zealand.

Oh, and it will make millions and millions of dollars because people are like that.


Posted by: Simon at December 8, 2010 10:42 AM

I think one of the movies includes some stuff from the Appendices, in which Galadriel does feature.

Your "fast and loose" comment still stands, however.

Posted by: embertine at December 8, 2010 11:01 AM

Not good enough Hobbit news. I want to hear about the return of Andy Serkis. And that Michael Fassbender will play a role.
[Squeezes eyes shut tightly, crosses fingers]
Please, please, please!


Posted by: penelope at December 8, 2010 11:05 AM

So the 7th Doctor is going to be in The Hobbit as the wizard Radagast the Brown? Funny, but during McCoy's stint as The Doctor, they were starting to lean the character as more mysterious and almost magical over scientific. And in one story it was believed that in a parallel universe he was an incarnation of Merlin of Camelot. He was even clad in a dark brown coat. And while I don't know if his portrayal of the Time Lord might have been one of the reasons he was cast, it will be interesting to see if there aren't at least shades of his Doctor that show up in his performance. Not that the role was particularly large to begin with, since most of his mentioning was largely to secondhand.

I also wonder if Peter Jackson will expand the role considering the character was eliminated from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I'm curious if Jackson won't be consulting Tolkien's posthumously published "Unfinished Tales" or "The Silmarillion" for back-story details.

Strange that I should be so interested in what qualifies as a little more than a bit character.

Posted by: bleujayone at December 8, 2010 11:05 AM

just start shooting the damn thing.

Posted by: seth at December 8, 2010 11:07 AM

I'm predicting it will be 75% longer than it needs to be and will include multiple scenic shots of New Zealand.

Oh, and it will make millions and millions of dollars because people are like that.

Posted by: Simon at December 8, 2010 10:42 AM

And don't forget 75% better than the source material.

Posted by: FordbiddenDonut at December 8, 2010 11:16 AM

You know what? I'm too tired to have a freak-out over Jackson once again needlessly fucking about with Tolkien's stories. Figgy will have to freak for the both of us.

Posted by: stardust at December 8, 2010 11:32 AM

more Cate Blanchett is never, ever a bad thing

Millions of Indiana Jones fans might disagree with you.

Posted by: ed newman at December 8, 2010 11:34 AM

Azeroth > Middle Earth

YEA I WENT THERE!

Posted by: Lennon at December 8, 2010 11:37 AM

Pfft. Azeroth wouldn't exist if Middle-earth hadn't come first.
Azeroth should pay Middle-earth royalties.

Posted by: Rykker at December 8, 2010 11:44 AM

Now I have to google all these guys and imagine them with ZZ Top beards.

And yay Martin Freeman! He needs to get more gigs.

Posted by: Anne (in Reno) at December 8, 2010 11:48 AM

My sincere hope is that bluejayone is right, that there will be parallel, related storytelling in conjunction with the events of The Hobbit, culled from the appendices of the trilogy and attendant works. My suspicion is that this material is being included primarily to gauge interest in films based on other parts of the mythology. Which gets MESSY.

Ugh. I don't know why I'm bothering to give this any effort. If they do make another series of movies, it's not like they won't suck just as bad. Ugh.

Posted by: Smokin at December 8, 2010 12:26 PM

If the plan hasn't changed since word of the two-film treatment was first announced, then, yes, bleujayone is correct.
The second film is supposed to focus on material from the Appendices, and act as a bridge between The Hobbit and Jackson's LotR trilogy.

Posted by: Rykker at December 8, 2010 12:31 PM

The second film is supposed to focus on material from the Appendices, and act as a bridge between The Hobbit and Jackson's LotR trilogy.

YOU SHALL NOT PASS!
MY BRIDGE THAT CONNECTS THE HOBBIT AND LORD OF THE RINGS!

Posted by: Gandalf at December 8, 2010 12:37 PM

it's only going to have ian mckellan as gandalf if they pull the lead out and get filming. he ain't getting any younger.

I can really picture this tanking if it gets made. a huge sprawling expensive epic concerning the little prequel to lord of the rings

Posted by: idleprimate at December 8, 2010 12:38 PM

Hey, Gandalf: Fly! You, fool!

I've never read the books -- I tried but I... kind of hate Tolkien's style -- so correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Jackson add a bit from the Silmarillion (sp?) in the first trilogy? I remember several Tolkien-obsessed friends telling me as much. If so, it makes sense that he'd do it again, especially considering The Hobbit is... what, a quarter the length of the whole LOTR tryptych?

Methinks by the time he's done, we'll have to call the film series, Peter Jackson's J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth.

Posted by: RobP at December 8, 2010 12:46 PM

IIRC (it's been a while since I've read them), the entire forward in The Fellowship of the Ring is from The Silmarillion: how Sauron forged the Rings of Power and distributed them amongst the peoples of Middle-Earth, and how Isildur defeated Sauron and took the One Ring. It's only a part of the book, though. There are many other stories, including what the Undying Lands are (where the elves, Bilbo, and Frodo go at the end of the last movie).

Posted by: Three-nineteen at December 8, 2010 1:05 PM

Posted by: Perfect Tommy at December 8, 2010 1:18 PM

Pfft. Azeroth wouldn't exist if Middle-earth hadn't come first.
Azeroth should pay Middle-earth royalties.
Posted by: Rykker

Holy geekfest, Dildo.

Posted by: Brenton at December 8, 2010 2:05 PM

Heh.
That was lame as shit.

Posted by: Rykker at December 8, 2010 2:11 PM

This period of time also covers the White Council (of which Galadriel was a part) throwing Sauron out of Dol Goldur.

While only briefly mentioned in the Hobbit, I can easily see a few scenes or a parallel storyline in the movie. It would serve perfectly as the bridge to the other three movies.

Posted by: Brigs at December 8, 2010 2:13 PM

CGI dwarves!?!?!? That stuff was done through a combination of forced perspective and stand-in shorties.

Posted by: Steve at December 8, 2010 5:25 PM

Theonering.net just reported that Orlando Bloom's gonna be in it too. It makes some kind of sense I guess; Legolas was around back then AND Bilbo met his father. It'll be stupid, but whatever. After everything that was changed in LOTR, I still loved the hell out of the movies, so I'll live.

Posted by: figgy at December 8, 2010 7:38 PM

Woops, it was deadline.com. I just read it on TORN.

Posted by: figgy at December 8, 2010 7:38 PM

Great, now we can look forward to Bloom showing off more of his surfing skills while shouting the occasional, "Orcs!"

I'm definitely on board with more Blanchett.

That actor looks like he could almost be Anthony Stewart Head's twin brother.

I never would have thought of that until you pointed it out, Rykker.

Posted by: Uda at December 8, 2010 11:10 PM

That actor looks like he could almost be Anthony Stewart Head's twin brother.

I think there's also a dash of Rammstein's Till Lindemann in there somewhere, Rykker.

Posted by: Kateshi Rinkichiku at December 10, 2010 5:41 AM