This is the age of the never ending cast announcements. I feel like The Hobbit will be a week away from theaters, and Peter Jackson will announce Bill Nighy is playing the Master of Lake-Town. (Come to think of it, Nighy would make a great Master of Lake-Town. Is that role still open?)
Today, Jackson announced via his Facebook that Evangeline Lilly will be playing the brand new, non-canon Woodland Elf, Tauriel. Says Jackson: “Her name means ‘daughter of Mirkwood’ and, beyond that, we must leave you guessing! (No, there is no romantic connection to Legolas.)”
Australian actor/comedian Barry Humphries will be playing the Goblin King. Jackson says that the Goblin King will be brought to life, Gollum-style.
He also confirms that Evans has been cast as Bard the Bowman and Cumberbatch as Smaug…but doesn’t confirm that he’s appearing as the Necromancer of Dol Goldur, as was reported earlier this week. I may just be stirring a non-existent pot, but I wonder if we’re going to see someone else as the Necromancer — or perhaps no Dol Goldur stuff at all. (Unlikely, I know.)