That last two major roles in Peter Jackson‘s two–part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s classic story, The Hobbit, have now officially been filled.

Production on the movie is already underway in New Zealand but it’s being reported that Benedict Cumberbatch will be playing the feared dragon, Smaug. The actor was already part of the cast, voicing the role of Necromancer, but will now also provide the voice for the infamous dragon as well as bring it to life via the magic of performance capture.

Cumberbatch is perhaps best known for his work on the BBC Sherlock Holmes series, Sherlock, which also stars the man playing Bilbo Baggins, Martin Freeman. Cumberbatch looks to be a star on the rise with numerous projects on the way, including Steven Spielberg’s War Horse.

Also cast is Luke Evans, who will play the role of Bard the Bowman””a master archer and heir to the throne of Lord Girion of Dale.

Evans has recently appeared in Clash of the Titans as Apollo and the latest telling of the tale of Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe, and will be next seen in Tarsem Signh’s Immortals as Zeus, Paul W.S. Anderson’s The Three Musketeers, where he plays Aramis, and James McTeigue’s The Raven as Detective Emmett Fields.

[Source: Deadline]