Cate Blanchett Returns to Middle Earth for The Hobbit
Tue, December 7, 2010 
Today came additional casting announcements on Peter Jackson's 3D two-movie The Hobbit.
Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett is now set to reprise the role of Galadriel, as portrayed in Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. It's worth noting the character as written actually didn't make an appearance in J.R.R. Tolkien's book. But considering we're getting two films (most likely, although unspecified) with near-three hour running lengths adapted off a book with just over 300 pages, Jackson and co-screenwriters Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and originally-intended helmer Guillermo del Toro probably took from his other Middle Earth works.
In addition, new Middle Earth recruits include the previously rumored Sylvester McCoy (aka Doctor Who #7) as the wizard Radagast the Brown, Jed Brophy (who appeared in The Two Towers and The Return of the King) as the dwarf Nori, Ryan Gage (from a BBC produced Hamlet last year, interestingly enough, co-starring David Tennant who's rumored to be up for a role) as Frodo's daddy Drogo Baggins, Ken Stott (not a virgin to mega-budget fantasy epics, having appeared in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) as Dwarf Lord Balin, William Kircher (from Legend of the Seekers) as the dwarf Bifur and Mikael Persbrandt (Day and Night) as the shape-shifter Beorn.
Filming starts this February back in New Zealand. Although I still can't see the first half making its targeted December 2012 release. They're lensing under the new RED Epic 3D cameras also being used for the Spider-Man reboot, which just started yesterday, and that won't be out till July 2012 and doesn't have anywhere near the lengthy 14-16 month shooting schedule. Then there's all that post-production to be done with visual effects and rendering to 3D, of course. Just saying...
Reader Comments (2)
I've read that David Tennant is no longer up for the role he was considered for, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm not a a LoTR fan at all. Watching the first three were an act of endurance for me. With the promise of McCoy in this new film, I'll probably see it. The potential for there to be two former Doctors in one movie is enough to get my hopes up.
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