Billy Connolly joins The Hobbit

Looks like there’s going to be another beardy face to remember among Peter Jackson’s hirsute cast for The Hobbit , as Billy Connolly has just been cast as one of the film’s many Dwarves.

Connolly will play Dain Ironfoot, cousin to Richard Amitage’s Thorin Oakenshield, and one of the most fearsome warriors in Dwarvish history.

Peter Jackson has suggested that Connolly will be the final addition to The Hobbit ’s cast, insisting that the Scotsman has made his ensemble complete.

“We could not think of a more fitting actor to play Dain Ironfoot,” said Jackson, “the staunchest and toughest of Dwarves, than Billy Connolly, the Big Yin himself. With Billy stepping into this role, the cast of The Hobbit is now complete. We can’t wait to see him on the battlefield!”

We must admit, we’re rather excited to see Connolly assume John Rhys-Davies’ mantle as wise-cracking badass in chief. We’ll be able to see him swinging his axe when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens on 14 December 2012.

George Wales

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.