Actors for Bilbo Baggins and Other Key Roles for The Hobbit Announced

(HMG Movie News) – While the location for filming is still undecided, Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh have begun announcing key cast members for The Hobbit.  The back-to-back installments of The Hobbit will begin shooting in February and Jackson has not wasted any time announcing his cast.
Martin Freeman is set to play Bilbo Baggins, the adventurous Hobbit whose adventures and discovery of the ‘one ring’ leads to The Lord of the Rings.  Freeman who portrays Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes, the UK TV series,  has appeared in films The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Hot Fuzz and Love Actually, as well as the UK cult hit series The Office.  Jackson said there was only ever one choice for Bilbo Baggins.
“There has only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us. There are a few times in your career when you come across an actor who you know was born to play a role, but that was the case as soon as I met Martin,” he said.  He is intelligent, funny, surprising and brave – exactly like Bilbo…”
Part one of this film adaptation of the fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien follows Baggins as the hobbit journeys to the Lonely Mountain accompanied by a company of dwarves to reclaim a treasure taken from them by thieving dragon Smaug.
Richard Armitage (MI-5 and Captain America: The First Avenger) is set to play Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the Company of Dwarves, who sets off to reclaim the lost dwarven kingdom, with Baggins.
Aidan Turner (Being Human) and Rob Kazinsky (EastEnders) will play Kili and Fili, respectively.
Graham McTavish (Secretariat) as Dwalin.
John Callen (Power Rangers Jungle Fury) as Oin.
Ian McKellan and Andy Serkis are expected to reprise Gandalf and Gollum.
Stephen Hunter (All Saints) as Bombur.
Mark Hadlow (King Kong) as Dori.
Peter Hambleton (The Strip) as Gloin.
James Nesbitt, Cate Blanchett, David Tennant, Stephen Fry, Saoirse Ronan and Bill Nighy are are also rumored for roles.
After getting through delays in production due to MGM’s financial problems, labor disputes with acting unions, Warner Brothers executives are still considered moving the $500 million production from New Zealand to the UK, Ireland, Canada, or the Czech Republic.