The Hobbit Movie in Production, with Jackson at the helm

That’s right, after years of being in developmental hell, The Hobbit is finally in production and fully cast. Among the actors returning to Middle Earth are Ian Mckellan as Gandalf, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Elijah Wood as Frodo, Andy Serkis as Gollum, Christopher Lee as Saruman,  and Orlando Bloom as Legolas. The presence of Elrond, played by Hugo Weaving, is oddly absent from the cast list. An odd thing since Rivendell is the adventurers first stop on the way to Erebor.

As for the new actors: starring as a young Bilbo is British actor Martin Freeman (The Office, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Saorise Ronan (The Lovely Bones) as Itaril. Among those rumored to be in the film is Doctor Who’s David Tennant as Thranduil and Leornard Nimoy as the voice of Smaug. The same writing team of Jackson, Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh have written the script for The Hobbit which will be broken up into two films, with the intention of bridging the gap between The Hobbit and Fellowship of the Ring.

The first film is set for release in 2012, and the second in 2013. The films will be presented in 3-D.