Movies News

First look at Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield in 'The Hobbit'

By Anthony Pearson Jul 17, 2011, 20:26 GMT

Thorin Oakenshield played by Richard Armitage is one of the key cast members of both "Hobbit" movies.

TheOneRing.Net has revealed the final image in a series of Dwarve photos from Peter Jackson's adaptation of J. R. R Tolkiens "The Hobbit." The photo is of the heroic leader, Thorin Oakenshield played by Richard Armitage.

You can check out the latest image in high resolution along with all with all the other dwarve photos here.

Also if you visit Tolkien fansite TheOneRing.Net you can access exclusive wallpapers of Thorin and rest of the wee heroes.

About Thorin Oakenshield

As a young Dwarf prince, Thorin witnessed the destruction and terror wrought when a great fire-breathing Dragon attacked the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. After slaughtering many of Thorin’s kin, the great serpent, Smaug, entered The Lonely Mountain and took possession of its vast store of gold and jewels. No-one came to the aid of the surviving Dwarves, and thus, a once proud and noble race was forced into exile. Through long years of hardship, Thorin grew to be a strong and fearless fighter and revered leader. In his heart a fierce desire grew; a desire to reclaim his homeland and destroy the beast that had brought such misery upon his people. So when fate offers him an unusual ally, he seizes the chance for revenge.

Thorin is played by English actor Richard Armitage . Richard is best known for his roles as Guy of Gisburne in BBC's "Robin Hood," Lucas North in "Spooks" and Heinz Kruger in the upcoming movie "Captain America: The First Avenger."

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" hits screens worldwide from December 14th, 2012. Part 2 of the story, "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" debuts the following year from December 13th, 2013.

Both films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” The adventure of “The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug.

Under Jackson’s direction, both movies are being shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming is taking place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.