Billy Connolly Is A Great Dwarf Warrior In THE HOBBIT

And you thought the ambitious 2-parter prequel, THE HOBBIT, was already done with its casting process a long, long, time ago. Nope! It just got even better because Hollywood Reporter said that the ever so awesome Billy Connolly (those of us fans of Boondock Saints movies think he rocks socks off) has joined the cast and he’s set to play Dain Iron Foot, cousin of Thorin Oakenshield.
Connolly as a dwarf, huh?! Now that’s just bloody epic!
Here’s a comment by director Peter Jackson..

“We could not think of a more fitting actor to play Dain Ironfoot, the staunchest and toughest of Dwarves, than Billy Connelly, the Big Yin himself,”
“With Billy stepping into this role, the cast of The Hobbit is now complete. We can’t wait to see him on the Battlefield!”

Don’t forget to check out the trailer for the 1st part, THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY again and again…

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths ofguile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY opens December 14th, 2012

Cate Blanchett (LOTR Films) returns as Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien
Ian McKellen (LOTR Films) returns as Gandalf
Christopher Lee (LOTR Films) returns as Saruman
Elijah Wood (LOTR Films) returns as Frodo
Andy Serkis (LOTR Films) as Gollum
Ken Stott (Charlie Wilson‘s War) as Dwarf Lord Balin
Sylvester McCoy (TV’s Doctor Who) as wizard Radagast the Brown
Mikael Persbrandt as shape-shifter Beorn
Jed Brophy (LOTR Films, District 9) as dwarf Nori
William Kircher as dwarf Bifur
Bret McKenzie as Lindir, an elf of Rivendell
Orlando Bloom as Legolas

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
Richard Armitage (CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER) as Thorin Oakenshield, leader of the Company of Dwarves which sets off to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a thieving dragon
Aidan Turner as Kili
Dean O’Gorman as Fili
Both Kili and Fili are members of the Company of Dwarves.
Graham McTavish (Secretariat) as Dwalin
John Callen as Oin
Stephen Hunter as Bombur
Mark Hadlow (King Kong) as Dori
Peter Hambleton as Gloin
James Nesbitt wil play Bofut, “a disarmingly forthright, funny and occasionally brave Dwarf”
Adam Brown will play Ori, “another of the Dwarf Company which sets out to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the infamous dragon, Smaug.”
Lee Pace as Elvin king Thrandull, who is Legolas’ father
Stephan Fry as The Master of Laketown
Ryan Gage as Alfrid, the master’s civil servant.
Conan Stevens as an Orc called Azog.
Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the dragon, Smaug
Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman
Evangeline Lilly will play the Woodland Elf, Tauriel, she’s a completely new character, not one you’d find in Tokien’s book. Tauriel means ‘daughter of Mirkwood’ and she’s NOT Legolas’ love interest.
Barry Humphries will mo-capture play the Goblin King

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY opens December 14th, 2012.
THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN opens December 13th, 2013
Jackson shot both films with New RED EPIC Digital 3D Cameras. From screenplay by Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo Del Toro
Co-produced by NewLine and MGM with NewLine on production, WB on domestic distribution and MGM with international distribution