The Hobbit (film trilogy)

***The Hobbit*** is a three-part film series and serves as a prequel to The Lord of the Rings (film trilogy). The first was subtitled An Unexpected Journey (released in 2012), *The Desolation of Smaug* (released in 2013), and *The Battle of the Five Armies*(released in 2014).

Along with *The Lord of the Rings*, the film series as a hole is the fifth-highest grossing film series of all time.

## Production

Peter Jackson talked about doing *The Hobbit*, but he declined from ever doing hte project. At the time *The Lord of the Rings* was released, *The Hobbit* was intended to be one full movie with the other two being on *THe Fellowship of the Ring* and *Return of the King*, but the idea was dropped and only *Lord of the Rings was* allowed. After the films' series release, del Toro talked of doing it himself. However, he left in middle of production and Peter Jackson took over. He originally intended on having *The Hobbit* as a two parter movie, but decided to do a trilogy instead of a prequel and a sequel. The films were titled *An Unexpected Journey*, *Desolation of Smaug* and There and Back Again. However, in early 2014, *There and Back Again* was renamed with *The Battle of the Five Armies*.

## Casting

In October 2010, Martin Freeman was cast as a younger version of Bilbo Baggins. Later that same year, Richard Armitage was cast to play Thorin Oakenshield. Ian McKellen, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, and Cate Blanchett reprised their roles as Gandalf (McKellen), Elrond, Saruman, and Galadriel (Middle-Earth Film Saga) for the trilogy. Elijah Wood and Ian Holm made cameo appearances, reprising their roles for Frodo Baggins (Wood) and an old Bilbo respectively.

Other cast of characters included Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug, Graham McTavish as Dwalin, Aidan Turner as Kíli, Mark Hadlow as Dori, John Callen as Óin, Stephen Hunter as Bombur and Peter Hambleton as Glóin. Later James Nesbitt and Adam Brown were cast to play Bofur and Ori. Later, Nesbitt's daughters, Mary and Peggy Nesbitt were cast to portray Sigrid and Tilda, daughters of Bard the Bowman.

Later, Sylvester McCoy was cast as Radagast, Mikael Persbrandt as Beorn, William Kircher as Bifur and Ken Stott as Balin and Jed Brophy was cast as Nori

## Cast

* Ian McKellen as Gandalf
* Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
* Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield
* Ken Stott as Balin (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Graham McTavish as Dwalin (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* William Kircher as Bifur (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* James Nesbitt as Bofur (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Stephen Hunter as Bombur (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Dean O'Gorman as Fili (O'Gorman)
* Aidan Turner as Kili (Turner)
* John Callen as Oin
* Peter Hambleton as Glóin (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Jed Brophy as Nori (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Mark Hadlow as Dori (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Adam Brown as Ori (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Orlando Bloom as Legolas (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel
* Lee Pace as Thranduil (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Cate Blanchett as Galadriel (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Hugo Weaving as Elrond
* Christopher Lee as Saruman (Lee)
* Ian Holm as Old Bilbo
* Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Andy Serkis as Gollum
* Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Mikael Persbrandt as Beorn
* Sylvester McCoy as Radagast
* Luke Evans as Bard (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Stephen Fry as Master of Lake-town
* Ryan Gage as Alfrid Lickspittle
* John Bell as Bain (Middle-Earth Film Saga)
* Peggy Nesbitt as Sigrid
* Mary Nesbitt as Tilda