Tom Waits to Star in 'The Hobbit' Films?

Posted on Dec 9th 2009 5:28AM by Stephen Dowling
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Grizzled veteran Tom Waits may be bringing his inimitable voice to bear not on a new album, but as part of the 'Lord of the Rings' prequels based on 'The Hobbit', due to begin filming in New Zealand soon.

The Guardian reported a source telling film site Ain't It Cool News Waits is at the top of director Guillermo Del Toro's wish list. "As much as I'd like to say he's a lock, I'm told he's simply someone the production is talking about," the source is reported to have said, "but they seem to be talking about him pretty seriously."

Waits is no stranger to film-making, having recently appeared in Terry Gilliam's 'The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus,' as well as appearing in film such as 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' and 'Short Cuts.'

'The Hobbit,' which J.R.R. Tolkien wrote as a children's book before embarking on the more adult trilogy 'Lord of the Rings,' sees hobbit Bilbo Baggins embark on a quest with the wizard Gandalf and a party of dwarves to find a hoard of treasure guarded by a dragon, Smaug. Waits is believed to be in the running to voice the evil Smaug.

Shooting on the first of the two Hobbit films is due to begin in 2010. The films are to be produced by Peter Jackson, who directed the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy.