Peter Jackson just announced OFFICIALLY that Orlando Bloom will be returning as Legolas. Out of all of the returning cast that don't appear in the books, he's the one I'm most happy about. As a resident of the Mirkwood elves, it makes perfect sense for him to be there.

Legolas returning makes the most sense of the added characters, IMO, because his father is the Elf king who kidnaps the dwarves..... so I'm not too worried about that. and it will be good to see Orlando Bloom as Legolas again

Wow, I hadn't realized that so much of the old LOTR cast was coming into The Hobbit!!

Personally, I'm most excited about Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberatch, and David Tenant...the "BBC crew" as my sister calls them in the Hobbit. To quote her, "maybe all these BBC folk will make Hollywood worth watching". Have to agree. The best actors come from BBC!! At least, that's where all my favorite actors come from.

Personally, I'm most excited about Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberatch, and David Tenant...the "BBC crew" as my sister calls them in the Hobbit.

.... wait, David Tenant is going to be in the Hobbit??? since when?

Personally, I'm most excited about Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberatch, and David Tenant...the "BBC crew" as my sister calls them in the Hobbit.

.... wait, David Tenant is going to be in the Hobbit??? since when?

There was once a rumor that he would be in it, but it was never confirmed. I'm thinking it was a false alarm. Most people who said it seemed to think he would play Bilbo. That obviously didn't work out. Then after Martin Freeman was cast, they said he might possibly play a different character. That was the last I heard, and it was many months ago.

I agree about british actors though, Ruby.

~Riella

The Hobbit release dates have been announced!!!!!!!!!!!!

The first part of the Hobbit will be called:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and will be released on December 14th 2012!

The second part of The Hobbit will be called:
The Hobbit: There and Back Again! And will be released on December 13th 2013!

Here is the link:
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=78224

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gaaaah! Release dates!!! *starts squeeing*

I'm not so sure that the Tenant rumor was just a rumor. It sounds like he's going to be in the second half of the Hobbit. Though it might just be that he's playing some obscure little role. Hollywood likes to do that, get exceptional actors to play the most random characters...I guess we all have to wait and see.

Yay!!! I can't wait! I started reading the Lord of the Rings over again a couple weeks ago and I just finished The Hobbit! (I'm not that slow of a reader, I just don't have much time to read.) Now, I'm even more excited.

The first part of the Hobbit will be called:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and will be released on December 14th 2012!

I think that that is an appropriate title since the two movies themselves, the studio, and a number of people including Peter jackson, have taken some interesting and "unexpected journeys" to get to where they are now.

Excellent. Though as pathetic as this sounds, I was more excited that the titles were indeed, in that order. (When they first released the names, they released them the other way around. )

*sqees*

I hope neither of those release dates fall during finals week. That would be just so...annoying.

I am kind of excited about Legolas coming back. It makes sense for his character to be there. I suppose this means he'll be (not sure if that was a spoiler or not, I forget who's read the book and who hasn't)

I was more excited that the titles were indeed, in that order.

Ditto! They make more sense this way.

wow! yay for release dates!
well, I know that I am going to see The Hobbit sometime when it comes out, but I'm still nervous about what adding some of the new characters will do, but I'm not too worried. PJ knows what he's doing!

The adverising has begun!

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2011/06 ... las-vegas/

Nothing out of the ordinary... but still cool!

~Riella

they say Saruman, but I say it's the Green Mist that's trying to keep The Hobbit from being made!
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2011/06 ... roduction/

Cool to see advertising stuff up now

They're reporting that Bard's been casted... not sure what to think of him yet... and I haven't seen any of his movies either