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If Peter Jackson hasn’t signed up to direct an episode of ‘Doctor Who’ then he’s just trolled the entire fanbase of the BBC sci-fi series. In a video posted to the director’s Facebook page on Monday, Jackson appears to tease the idea he could helm a ‘Doctor Who’ episode, when he receives a visit from the Doctor himself.

Could be Peter Jackson soon direct an episode of ‘Doctor Who’?

In the clip titled, ‘Home Invasion’, Jackson is seen sitting at a table with his daughter Katie surrounded by his Oscars. “Hey dad, Steven Moffat’s trying to email you,” Katie says. “He’s always emailing me,” Jackson responds.

Continue reading: Could Peter Jackson Be About To Direct An Episode Of 'Doctor Who'?

It was the result we all expected: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is No.1 at the Christmas box-office, but Peter Jackson's finale didn't have it all its own way on its second weekend, with Angelina Jolie's war drama Unbroken and, notably, Disney's Into the Woods both taking in excess of $40 million.

Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies looks set to take $1 billion worldwide after a strong showing at the U.S box office

Jackson's final trip to Middle Earth has grossed $170 million in the US and is poised to take $600 million worldwide. That means it will inevitably take over $1 billion.

Continue reading: 'The Hobbit' Just Edges Out 'Into The Woods' At U.S Box Office

Let's not deny it - since 'The Lord of the Rings' came out, it has been almost every film-goer's dream to be a part of Middle Earth. Furthermore, it must have been incredibly enticing for actors across the world to turn up and audition for 'The Hobbit' - a prequel trilogy set in the same universe, with the same director and some returning members of the cast. For actors like Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays both Smaug the dragon and The Necromancer, it must have been a dream come true.

Benedict Cumberbatch spoke about The Hobbit on the red carpet

"It's a privilege to be in these films," he explained at the premiere for the final part of Peter Jackson's epic saga, "let alone to be at the end of this entire journey; it's like another level really." But faced with the very obvious fact that this is the end of a series that reinvented the course of the cinematic landscape, Cumberbatch has a happier outlook, saying: "It's a celebration. It's a great send-off, really."

Continue reading: Benedict Cumberbatch Is Honoured To Be A Part Of 'The Hobbit' Send-Off

A new trailer for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies has rolled out online at the end of the big week of hype for cinema. Christopher Nolan's Interstellar is doing huge business across the globe, while Disney announced the official title for Star Wars Episode VII, The Force Awakens, whilst confirming that Toy Story 4 is happening in 2017.

Benedict Cumberbatch's Smaug is causing havov in 'The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies'

So spare a thought for Lord of the Rings fans who are still busy sinking their teeth into a new trailer for the final instalment in the Hobbit adventure. We're now just six weeks from the global release on December 17, 2014 and the initial trailer released in July was heralded as one of the best teasers of the year. As Forbes put it, it evoked the "gloom and doom of the Return of the King teaser, eleven years ago."

Continue reading: 'The Hobbit: Battle Of The Five Armies' Trailer Is The Best Middle Earth Teaser Yet

The secrets to how Benedict Cumberbatch was transformed into the fearsome dragon Smaug in The Hobbit have been revealed in behind-the-scenes footage included on the Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Blu-Ray, set for release on November 3. In the new clips, the British actor is seen donning a motion-capture suit, writhing around on the floor and speaking to Bilbo.

Benedict Cumberbatch starred alongside Martin Freeman (sort of) in The Desolation of Smaug

"We wanted someone who would something original, unexpected," director Peter Jackson says in the clip, "Something that was a surprise to us."

Continue reading: Secrets To Benedict Cumberbatch's 'Smaug' Revealed In Hobbit Bonus Material

The Hobbit trilogy is officially the most expensive movie series ever produced. New financial details reveal that the expenditure on the three films has totalled nearly three quarters of a billion dollars.

Martin Freeman, pictured here in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), will reprise his role as Bilbo Baggins

The details, courtesy of the Associated Press, show that the Peter Jackson-directed trilogy has received among the biggest budgetary layouts in movie history. Financial documents were filed earlier this month in New Zealand, where the films are shot, which state that production costs through to March 2014 have reached 934 million New Zealand Dollars, equivalent to $745 million in US currency.

Continue reading: Production Costs Of 'The Hobbit' Trilogy Revealed

The Hobbit trilogy has been criticised by some viewers for having too little content spread too thinly over the course of too many films. Originally, the idea was to split the 1937 J. R. R. Tolkien story over two films; however, in 2012, director Peter Jackson confirmed his plans for a third film; some six years after the two-film decision had been made.

Director of The Hobbit, Peter Jackson, originally thought the franchise would only spread across two films 

Was this to enhance viewers’ experience of the story or was it because three films make more money than two? Audiences will never know. They will instead have to settle with a narrative with a lot less to say than The Lord of the Rings trilogy over the same number of motion pictures; with the final chapter in the piece, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, released in the UK on 12 December.

Continue reading: Film Franchises That Go On Forever

The San Diego Comic-Con may be over but the buzz surrounding its contents is only just beginning. Showing teasers left, right and centre, the convention has set the scene for an exciting year of film.

Here are some of the best trailers from the event.

Mad Max rides into town

Continue reading: The Best Movie Trailers To Emerge From Comic-Con 2014

If you were not at SDCC over the weekend, fret not, because some panels, like the one with the cast of The Hobbit and Stephen Colbert (what an inspired lineup) are already hitting youtube. One hour of Hobbit and Tolkien-related goodness, moderated by the biggest Tolkien nerd there is? Yes, please, that sounds absolutely amazing. And it was.

Think you know your Tolkien? Not as well as Colbert does.

Besides the absolutely obligatory trivia contest (which Colbert won, against one of the series writers, no less), the panel also included a very brief update from Peter Jackson on The Hobbit: There and Back Again. The director, who has spent almost two decades working on Tolkien adaptations, said about the journey: “It’s a commitment I’ve really enjoyed taking.”

Continue reading: "The Hobbit" Hits Comic-Con With Nostalgic Panel And Colbert's Trivia Quiz

Peter Jackson, whose big budget adaptations of the J.R.R Tolkien novels The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit have grossed almost $5billion worldwide, might be making a brief switch to small screen to direct an episode of Doctor Who for The BBC.

Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman film scenes for Doctor Who

That is if scheduling issues can be worked out – Jackson is still 6 months away from unleashing the third and final Hobbit film, The Battle Of The Five Armies, and will be embarking on a huge press push once the final tweaks are made. 

Continue reading: Peter Jackson Still In Line To Direct An Episode Of 'Doctor Who'

‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ won’t be out for another 6 months, which means it’s just the right time to start dripping teaser photos, trailer snippets and plot bytes to keep Tolkienites’ appetites whetted.

Ian McKellen‘s Gandalf in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The latest tease comes in the form of a ‘first look’ style reveal on the film’s official Facebook page. In it, Ian McKellen‘s Gandalf and Luke Evans‘ Bard the Bowman are looking at something presumably ominous  - let’s face it: they’re not laughing at Bilbo trying out Legolas’s bow, are they?

Continue reading: 'The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies' Gets A Facebook Photo Tease

Viggo Mortensen, the actor best known for playing Aragorn in the Lord Of The Rings movies, says the second and third films in the franchise were "sloppy" movies and would have been straight-to-video had the first instalment not received critical acclaim. Mortensen doesn't mince his words about the trilogy in a new interview with The Telegraph, claiming that director Peter Jackson was practically "finished" before the first movie got a good reception at Cannes.

Viggo Mortensen at the premiere of 'The Two Faces of January'

"Anybody who says they knew it [Lord of the Rings] was going to be the success it was, I don't think it's really true," he said.

Continue reading: Viggo Mortensen Calls Lord Of The Rings Movies "Straight To Video, Sloppy" Films

Despite some early criticisms, Peter Jackson’s ‘Hobbit’ trilogy has provided some memorable moments in the ever-expanding Tolkien universe. With one film left, due to be released this December, a high profile name change has taken place, from “There and Back Again” to “The Battle of The Five Armies”. So what’s behind the change?

Evangeline Lily and Orlando Bloom will be back in the third film, which is now called "The Battle of The Five Armies"

Peter Jackson released a lengthy statement on his Facebook page, in which he attempts to explain the shift. “Our journey to make The Hobbit Trilogy has been in some ways like Bilbo’s own, with hidden paths revealing their secrets to us as we’ve gone along. “There and Back Again” felt like the right name for the second of a two film telling of the quest to reclaim Erebor, when Bilbo’s arrival there, and departure, were both contained within the second film,” he wrote.

Continue reading: Why Did Peter Jackson Change Hobbit Film's Name To 'The Battle Of The Five Armies'?

The last instalment in Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit' trilogy has had a title change.

The original name of the third film was thought to be 'The Hobbit: There and Back Again' but it will now be known as 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.'

The 52 year-old director made the announcement to fans on Thursday (April 24th) via his Facebook page.

Continue reading: 'The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies' Is New Title For Third Film In Trilogy

People's "Most Beautiful": Lupita Nyong'o is beautiful? Tell us something we didn't know! The 12 Years a Slave star was honoured this week for her natural beauty and bang-on style with People magazine's "Most Beautiful" prize. Sure, the award isn't as special as say, her Academy Award but goes to show that 2014 is the year of the Lupita for sure with filmmakers, fashion houses and fans falling at her feet. Need inspiration? We've compiled a list of her top red carpet looks here. And what was that about a role in the new Jungle Book movie?

'The Hobbit' Name Change: It's a bold thing for a director to change the name of a movie but the third and final 'Hobbit' movie has received a make-over from 'There And Back Again' to 'The Battle of the Five Armies.' Find out Jackson's reasoning for the swap here. The grandiose new title brings visions of the predictably epic battle between the goblins and dwarves, elves, men, and the majestic giant eagles at the foot of the Lonely Mountain. Expect awesomeness: here are our three predictions for the new movie.

Continue reading: A Week In News: Avril Breaks Windows, 'The Hobbit' Gets A New Name, And Lupita Is Beautiful (Duh)

The final Hobbit movie has received a new, grander and arguably better title: The Battle of the Five Armies, instead of There and Back Again. Director Peter Jackson shared the news today via his Facebook page, explaining why the decision to change the title was taken. "Our journey to make The Hobbit Trilogy has been in some ways like Bilbo's own, with hidden paths revealing their secrets to us as we've gone along," he said.

Peter Jackson Has Announced That The Third & Final Hobbit Film Will Now Be Called 'The Battle Of The Five Armies.'

""There and Back Again" felt like the right name for the second of a two film telling of the quest to reclaim Erebor, when Bilbo's arrival there, and departure, were both contained within the second film. But with three movies, it suddenly felt misplaced-after all, Bilbo has already arrived "there" in the "Desolation of Smaug"," Jackson explained.

Continue reading: The Hobbit Final Movie Retitled 'The Battle Of The Five Armies'

Yesterday saw the release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on DVD, which leaves us free to obsessively think about the final instalment of the trilogy! The Hobbit: There and Back Again is the third and last film based on JRR Tolkien’s 1937 book of the same name and will provide us with a conclusion to the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the band of dwarves. But what do we know about The Hobbit: There and Back Again, and what can we expect?

Will Bilbo play more of a backseat role in the upcoming movie?

The second film left us on a monumental cliffhanger. With Smaug finally sick of talking he makes his way towards Laketown, breathing “I am fire, I am death.” Cue credits. Thanks a lot, Peter Jackson! We’re guessing that Bard will be having none of Smaug’s home invasion, there were some hints dropped that he may be whipping out his black arrow (not a euphemism) and fighting back against the greedy guts who’s been hogging all that gold for years.  Luke Evans, who plays the Bard, told MTV, “We’ve only just touched on Bard’s real storyline. It’s exciting. That’s why I’m so excited about it.” We’re pretty darn excited too!

Continue reading: More Bard Than Bilbo? What To Expect From 'The Hobbit: There And Back Again'

With The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Disney's Frozen and Anchorman 2 continuing to dominate the box office chart in both the US and UK, new releases over the holidays had little chance of making much of a dent. 

Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin

Ben Stiller's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty fared slightly better than Keanu Reeves' Japanese action movie 47 Ronin. In America, Mitty landed at number 7, with Ronin in 9th place. In the UK both charted a bit higher, with Mitty at 4 and Ronin at 5. It probably didn't help that 47 Ronin had far fewer press screenings so couldn't generate much buzz (Universal declined to let Contactmusic see the film). Check out our review of Walter Mitty here.

Continue reading: New Releases Fight For Box-Office Crumbs As 'The Hobbit' Marches On

It's official: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is the film to see this year to top off what has hopefully been a great 2013. Peter Jackson's epic sequel took flight 10 days ago and has since swept to top box office lists worldwide.

Fans Worldwide Have Flocked To See The Second 'Hobbit' Movie.

Though Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues was set for a strong start upon its release this weekend, the long-awaited sequel could still only muster second place in the rankings. Will Ferrell's comedy sequel, which sees news anchor Ron Burgundy return to make more mischief, had a strong performance with weekend takings estimated at $26.8 (£16.4) million according to box office mojo. Unfortunately for Burgundy and co., this wan't enough to overtake the storming Hobbit movie which managed $31.5 (£19.3) million.

Continue reading: 'The Hobbit 2' Maintains Box Office Grip Despite 'Anchorman 2' Challenge [Trailer]

Anchorman 2: The Lengend Continues has been lighting up cinema screens since Wednesday (18 December) this week and looks set to continue its impressive run into next week and emerge as the top grossing film of the weekend. Having opened strongly mid-week, the reunited Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner have maintained their steady rise to the top.

All the gang, plus a secretary and some other guy, are back for the new Anchorman

In just five days since it was released, the film is estimated to have made $61.3 million already (via Box Office Mojo), with a massive $40.1 million coming in over the weekend period alone. Clearly people have recognised that Anchorman 2 is kind of a big deal, and they responded as expected.

Continue reading: 'Anchorman 2' Staying Classy To Top US Box Office This Weekend

Beyoncé's Secret Album Breaks Records: Last week's biggest story was Beyoncé's unexpected and sudden album release, where she dropped Beyoncé with minimal farefare. Nevertheless, Queen Bey's fans were sent into a buying frenzy, pushing the singer to the top of the Billboard and iTunes charts and securing a fifth number one for the R&B megastar.

Ian Watkins Sent Down: Former Lostprophets singer and "committed" paedophile Ian Watkins has been jailed for 35 years at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday for a string of child sex offences. The judge said Watkins took "evident delight" in abusing children after the rocker pleaded guilty last month to 13 offences. Read about the full sentencing here.

Continue reading: A Week In News: Ian Watkins Sentenced, Beyonce's Record Breaking Album, The Hobbit Establishes Box Office Stronghold

Disney's new animated musical, Frozen has had a merry time at the top of the box office, charming both small children, parents and critics alike across the Thanksgiving weekend and rustling up some genuine Oscars talk at the start of the awards season.

'Frozen' Has Charmed Its Way Up The Box Office Rankings, For How Much Longer Though?

The sweet and festive kids' movie managed to topple the former box office leviathan, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, from the top perch with $134,278,000 grossed to date, according to Box Office Mojo. The film, which tells the story of a fearless princess on an epic journey, did manage to sneak in at a prime time, capitalising on Catching Fire's waning interest and scooping up the family vote over the holiday.

Continue reading: Will 'The Hobbit 2' Make 'Frozen' Loosen Its Ice-Like Box Office Grip? [Trailer]

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Trailer is finally here, and with it, the first look at Benedict Cumberbatch's big scaly fire breathing dragon. The British actor voices Smaug in the second of Peter Jackson's trilogy, which appears for a couple of seconds at the end of the new trailer - however, we still haven't heard the beast's voice and really hope he utters something in the actual movie, or it could be a miserable pay-packet for our Benedict.

Martin Freeman as the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug

Mainly, it's the old characters that have been called upon to hype the latest film, with the dwarves playing a prominent role in the trailer and Bilbo looking a bit bewildered as usual. However, we are treated to the return of Orlando Bloom's Legolas - who literally slides into the trilogy - and Luke Evans' Bard the Bowman. The latter had a minor role in the previous film though is believed to be crucial to The Desolation of Smaug and There And Back Again. According to Yahoo Moves, the Bowman is tasked with stopping the terrifying dragon after warning the dwarves, "If you awaken that beast you will destroy us all."

Continue reading: The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug Trailer: Here's Benedict Cumberbatch! [Trailers And Pictures]

Following last Christmas' first instalment that kicked off the trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the new episode of adventures in Middle Earth will take Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the band of aggrieved-yet-upbeat dwarves further into their quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor; stolen from them by the evil dragon, Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch).

Now, Bilbo has gained The One Ring after his life-changing meeting with the wretched Gollum (Andy Serkis) and the brave group have escaped the Goblin Kingdom to start the next leg of their quest to reclaim their kingdom and riches from Smaug, travelling through the Misty Mountains.

Based on the novel that preceded J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit was one book that has been turned into three films. Sure, this is probably to rake in maximum profits, but at least three 3 hour films will allow Jackson to deliver close interpretations and stretch out the franchise for another few years.

Continue reading: The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug Trailer - First Look

Luke Evans is quickly moving from rising star to, well… star. He’s been a Greek god in The Immortals, and again in Clash of The Titans. He’s been a heroic police man and one of the Three Musketeers.

Now he’s set to play the legendary character of Dracula in Universal’s upcoming reboot. Originally titled Dracula Year Zero, the project has been in doubt for some time; sometimes it’s going ahead, other times it’s been canned. But the announcement of the casting of the film’s lead should be the confirmation fans were looking for. Michael De Luca is producing the project, which quietly has been greenlighted and hopes to start shooting later this year. Gary Shore is making his directorial debut on the picture. Universal is already the home of the most prominent cinematic visions of Dracula. And in Evans, Universal are in familiar territory. The welsh star plays the villain in their Fast & Furious 6 movie. Familiar, too, are big budget films for Evans. He’s also due to play Bard the Bowman in the upcoming installments of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit movies.

The next Hobbit film, again helmed by Jackson and again starring Martin Freeman, is called The Desolation of Smaug and is heading for a Christmas release this year. The first film, An Unexpected Journey, received a mixed reaction from the critics, but performed well financially.

Continue reading: The Hobbit's Luke Evans To Play Dracula - What Else Can This Guy Do!?

The final instalment in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy has been pushed back so that it’s in line with the preceding two movies (and keeping with the tradition of the Lord of the Rings movies, which were all released in time for the holiday season). The final release of The Hobbit, entitled The Hobbit: There And Back Again will now be scheduled for release on December 17, 2014, to follow last December’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and this coming December’s The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Warner Bros, who are co-financing the movie with MGM revealed the news in a statement, with the company’s distribution president Dan Fellman explaining “We're excited to complete the trilogy the same way we started it, as a holiday treat for moviegoers everywhere,” The Guardian reports. The first of The Hobbit trilogy became Peter Jackson’s second highest grossing movie, behind Lord Of The Rings: The Return of The King. The Hobbit raked in $981million worldwide, behind a top-grossing figure of $1.119 billion worldwide. 

Continue reading: Festive Release Planned For Peter Jackson's Third Instalment Of The Hobbit

Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy are all in the top twenty of the world's most successful films. The Hobbit has also now been made into a trilogy by the same team which, despite mixed reviews, is unlikely to be anything other than a huge financial success again. It's clear, therefore, that not only is Peter Jackson a great film maker, but he's working with some of the best literary material available: J.R.R. Tolkien is a wonderful story teller. So, having exhausted four novels of Tolkien's almost in-exhaustive bibliography (material of his is still being published for the first time), what should be made next? 

Our first suggestion is Letters From Father Christmas. A very far cry from Middle Earth, this suggestion is probably induced by the festive season, but a television series adaptation would be an amazing addition to Christmas viewing. Tolkien wrote letters to his children, posing as father Christmas, throughout their childhood and in 1976, when they were all grown up, a book of them was published. They are all truly beautiful, hand illustrated stories about Father Christmas and the misadventures of the Northern Polar Bear. They are a really wonderful read and it would be great to watch as well.

The other, more obvious appeal to be made is for The Silmarillion. It's one book with five inner books, that delves deeper and deeper into Earth's past, full of smaller stories and fables from the fictional universe of LOTR/The Hobbit which Tolkien created. The second book in particular 'Quenta Silmarillion' is all about Elves, Men, Jewels, and darkness and light. It's brilliant.

Continue reading: Will Success Of Lord Of The Rings And The Hobbit Inspire Other Tolkien Adaptations?

Philippa Boyens, the screenwriter on the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the new Hobbit movie, says she would have loved to have seen Guillermo Del Toro's version of the film.

New Line and Warner Bros initially hired the Pans Labyrinth director to adapt Tolkien's first book, though after waiting almost two years for legal issues to be resolved, Del Toro left the project. Original director Peter Jackson eventually accepted the role, though Boyens can't help but think what could have been.

"I would love to have seen the films Guillermo would have made" the writer told the Los Angeles Times, "It would have been amazing. And he certainly helped us by bringing fresh eyes to the Middle Earth because, of course, the biggest issue was making sure we weren't remaking 'Lord of the Rings.' In some ways it was easier, though, starting again for Pete. We work in a different way, very fluid, very flexible."

Continue reading: The Hobbit Screenwriter: Guillermo Del Toro's Version Would Have Been Amazing

The Lord of the Rings trilogy, as a franchise, is one of the highest grossing movie productions in history, taking 6th, 20th, and 29th in that list, so it's no wonder that the first of the prequel trilogy, by Peter Jackson, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, almost makes its audience quiver with anticipation. However, intial reviews have been distinctly lukewarm.

Variety's verdict is that "it doesn't offer nearly enough novelty to justify the three-film, nine-hour treatment," adding "The primary advance here is technical, as Jackson shoots in high-frame-rate 3D, an innovation that improves motion at the expense of visual elegance." Apparently, the movie starts incredibly slowly- which isn't really surprising given that Jackson is making a full three films out of just one novel. The reviewer remains intrigued about what could have been, saying "it would have been fascinating to see del Toro's take on The Hobbit."

Likewise, The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy was really unimpressed, summing up his review by saying "More is less in Peter Jackson's gargantuan first instalment of his second J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy." He also comments on the time it takes for the story to take off, but praises Martin Sheen for his role as the young Bilbo Baggins, saying that he "grows into the part, giving hope that the character will continue to blossom in the two forthcoming instalments."

Continue reading: Initial Hobbit Reviews Prove To Be Lukewarm

Fans of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings franchise will get an extra special treat should they head to their nearest IMAX 3-D cinemas to watch The Hobbit this festive season. Paramount Pictures has announced it will release the first nine minutes of J.J Abrams new Star Trek movie Into Darkness immediately before Jackson's new epic.

Nine minutes is a considerable sneak peek of a movie not set for release until May 2013. It also represents the first time that exclusive footage has played on IMAX 3-D screens. "Our longtime partners J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk and the Bad Robot team have really hit it out of the park," said Imax Filmed Entertainment president Greg Foster in a statement on The Hollywood Reporter, "The footage is absolutely incredible." Abrams new movie welcomes back Chris Pine as a young Captain Kirk while Zachary Quinto plays Mr Spock, as he did in the 2009 original. Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch will star as the villain, though the specifics of his role have been kept safely under wraps. The British actor has remained coy on the issue, though did tell Shortlist, "I'll tell you this - it's iconic and it's exciting. I'm bored of denying that it's Khan now, because people keep saying it. It's a great part and it's really well written. I enjoyed the fights and the stunts, there's lots of that and it really is properaction movie territory."

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits cinemas in the U.S. on December 14, 2012. Star Trek Into Darkness hits on May 17, 2013.

Continue reading: Forget The Hobbit, Star Trek Into Darkness To Preview Before Lord Of The Rings

Legendary thespian and film star, Sir Ian McKellen, came under fire from the late Richard Harris several years ago when he landed the role of the wise but mischievous Gandalf in 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy. McKellen claims that Harris was furious for not being cast in Peter Jackson's fantasy epic, and this was exacerbated by McKellen being chosen over him.

Related: Sir Ian McKellen Inspires Bristol Students With Famous Gandalf Line

Harris reportedly exploded at the rumour that McKellen would then take the role of Dumbledore as well in 2002 when Harris' health steadily began to fail. The actor explained: "Before Richard Harris died, there was an enquiry: would I be interested in playing in Harry Potter? And I said, 'Yes, certainly'. But I've not heard anything since."

Continue reading: Gandalf Vs Dumbledore - Sir Ian Mckellen Discusses Disagreement With Richard Harris