With
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey set to arrive on the big screen on December 14, 2012 and
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and
The Hobbit: There and Back Again (2014) soon to follow, one wonders how many actors will reprise their roles from the original
The Lord of the Rings trilogy created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Ian McKellen (
Gods and Monsters) who received an Academy Award nomination for his performance of Gandalf will don the wizard hat and staff again, and Hugo Weaving (
Cloud Atlas) is returning along with Cate Blanchett (
The Aviator) to portray Elrond and Galadriel from the Elves of Rivendell. Elijah Wood (
Bobby) makes a brief appearance as his character of Frodo Baggins helps to serve as bridge between the old and new set of films where his uncle Bilbo portrayed by Martin Freeman (
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) takes centre stage.
But will Frodo be accompanied by his pint-sized friends who travelled with him on his epic journey to save Middle-earth from Sauron?. "I wouldn't think so but who knows now that it is a trilogy," states Billy Boyd (
Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy) who played the part of the mischievous and beer-loving Peregrin 'Pippin' Took. "The Hobbits [Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry], don't appear in
The Hobbit. I am really looking forward to seeing the first one and am going to see that soon. I'm sure they're going to be wonderful movies." However, there is one thing Boyd knows for sure as he speaks from his home in Scotland. "I'm looking at the cover of the new album from my band Beecake and it is called
Blue Sky Paradise; that will be out pretty soon. It is not on iTunes yet although our first album is but you can pre-order the album on
Beecake.com. I would say do that because it's musical goodness!"
