'The Hobbit' - Photo of Bombur, Bofur and Bifur

Are you tired of "The Hobbit" yet? If new images and other goodies from Peter Jackson's new adventure keep popping up like this, maybe we'll grow tired of after a while. Nah, I'm kidding. We're always happy to get a better glimpse at what's going on.

Moving on, here is a new still of Stephen Hunter as Bombur, James Nesbitt as Bofur and William Kircher as Bifur, all part of the cast of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," which opens Dec. 14, 2012. "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" is set for release Dec. 13, 2013.

Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee and Hugo Weaving star in the films. By the way, Bombur, Bofur and Bifur are descendants of coal miners, and they are out in the field looking for their fortune. Exciting, eh?

New photos from 'The Hobbit'

Expect to see more and more photos from "The Hobbit" films arrive on the Web as production for the two-part adventure continues. Peter Jackson is currently busy filming "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," and Empire got a hold of these two stills.

Okay, nothing major going on here, but they show Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins. The first film will hit theaters Dec. 14, 2012, and "The Hobbit: There and Back Again is set for release Dec. 13, 2013.

Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee and Hugo Weaving star in the epic, which overcame lots of hurdles and is finally in full swing. With Jackson at the helm, I am 100 percent confident we will be in for a large treat. Who's excited?

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Luke Evans joins 'The Hobbit' cast

Yes, Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" is still casting, and the latest to join the party is Luke Evans, who will be playing Bard in the two-part epic adventure. Bard is an archer, and as Deadline points out, he will play a bigger part in the second film.

Evans will play Aramis in the upcoming "The Three Musketeers." His credits also include "Robin Hood," "Clash of the Titans" and "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll." "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" are now filming.

‘The Hobbit’ casts Benedict Cumberbatch to voice Smaug

Doing the voice for a dragon is always a difficult thing to pull off (if you need persuading, just think of Sean Connery in “Dragonheart”). So selecting an actor for Smaug, the insatiably hungry, treasure hording dragon in Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit,” is tricky business.

Deadline has just announced that Benedict Cumberbatch will portray the beast’s guttural bellow.  Cumberbatch is already on set, doing the voice of the character Necromancer.  

He's also busy playing supporting characters in Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse” and “Tinker Tailor Spy,” in which he co-stars along Gary Oldman and Tom Hardy. It appears Cumberbatch might be a name we get used to hearing.

Titles and release dates for 'Hobbit' films

Peter Jackson is busy working on "The Hobbit," and New Line Cinema today announced both titles and release dates for the two films so many people out there are dying to see. Okay, let's start with dates. The first film opens Dec. 14, 2012, and the second part follows Dec. 13, 2013. That sure is a long wait.

In terms of title, the first "Hobbit" flick is now known as "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." The second part is titled "The Hobbit: There and Back Again." Of course, the films follow the adventures of Bilbo Baggins many years before the events that take place in "The Lord of the Rings" films.

"The Hobbit" films are shot in 3D, so Jackson better make sure they will look way better than some recent 3D releases. Darn, I'm so sick of it already... Either way, Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee and Hugo Weaving star.

Orlando Bloom to play Legolas in 'Hobbit'

Good news for all Legolas fans! Director Peter Jackson, who is hard at work directing "The Hobbit", has stated via Facebook that Orlando Bloom will be reprising his role as the bow and arrow-wielding elf. Who's excited?

This is what Jackson had to say: "Ten years ago, Orlando Bloom created an iconic character with his portrayal of Legolas. I'm excited to announce today that we'll be revisiting Middle Earth with him once more. I’m thrilled to be working with Orlando again."

He added, "Funny thing is, I look older—and he doesn’t! I guess that's why he makes such a wonderful elf."

Martin Freeman is Bilbo Baggins in 'The Hobbit'

It's late in the day, but this is definitely the biggest news piece of today: the casting announcement for "The Hobbit." And yes, Martin Freeman ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") will play Bilbo Baggins.

Also starring in "The Hobbit" are Richard Armitage (he will play Thorin Oakenshield), Rob Kazinsky, Aidan Turner, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow and Peter Hambleton.

"Despite the various rumours and speculation surrounding this role, there has only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us," Peter Jackson said in a press release sent out by New Line Cinema earlier this evening.

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What? Guillermo del Toro drops 'The Hobbit'

To tell you the truth, I doubt we will ever see "The Hobbit" on the big screen. I'm joking, of course, but then again, the project has hit several bumps already. Now comes the big one: Guillermo del Toro is out!

Okay, he's not entirely out, but he told TheOneRing.Net he won't be directing the film ("The Hobbit: Part 1" is supposed to open in 2012). That said, del Toro will continue to work on the screenplays, that's for sure.

“After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien’s Middle Earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures," del Toro told TheOneRing.Net.

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Guillermo del Toro gives 'Hobbit' 3D update

The film version of "The Hobbit" has been in the news for a while now, but one thing is for certain: it's still rather unclear when the film will really start shooting. A release for "The Hobbit: Part 1" was set for December 2011, but the film could as well open in 2012.

Anyway, director Guillermo del Toro recently offered fans an update on where things are in terms of releasing "The Hobbit" in 3D. Rumors about this surfaced a while ago, and while it seemed they wouldn't go ahead with 3D at first, nothing is decided yet.

Del Toro posted this on TheOneRing.net: "I wouldn't read much on it just yet, but now, after all this time, after AVATAR doing the Box Office it did, we have had [enquiries] from above about The Hobbit being in 3-D. No impositions or heavy leaning. Just enquiries."

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'The Hobbit' filming delayed, no green light yet

It now looks like Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro will have to delay filming for the upcoming epic adventure "The Hobbit." At least that's what Jackson said at a press conference for "The Lovely Bones."

So, what's going on? According to German site moviereporter.net, Jackson said they may have to push back filming from March 2010 to some time in the summer. Plus, they haven't received green light yet.

Jackson said the script for "The Hobbit: Part 1" is done, and right now, they are working on the second, which they hope will be done by the end of this year or the beginning of 2010.

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