Orlando Bloom Hints at a New Legolas Costume for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit

Collider recently caught up with the actor as a press junket for The Three Musketeers. He is playing the villain, Buckingham in the swashbuckling affair. But he is also returning to the role of Legolas in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit.

Now of course there is a bit of controversy behind Orlando Bloom's return to Middle Earth since his character Legolas was never actually in the J. R. R. Tolkien story. Legolas's father was in the story briefly, but that is really the only connection that he has to the events that are sixty years before The Fellowship of the Ring.

Also revealed in the interview is that the actor has already shot some scenes for the movie and will be headed back to film more after he is done promoting his latest flick. This will surprise many as well since many people figured Legolas was merely a cameo, but his statements point too a much bigger role.

Are you in both of them?

Bloom: I can’t tell you anything.

It’s been ten years since Legolas has been onscreen. You’ve aged ten years, but you’re supposed to be playing Legolas younger. How’s that gonna work?

Bloom: Dude, magic. Good genes. I don’t know what to tell you, a bit of makeup. It’s crazy, the wig fits. It still fits. It’s the same wig, and it still fits. And the costume, it fit. The same costume fit. I’m not actually wearing—well I’m not gonna talk about it, I can’t tell you anything else.

You’re filming with the Red Epic’s on The Hobbit, which is 3D, and you filmed 3D on Three Musketeers. What’s your experience been like filming in 3D?

Bloom: [Musketeers] was shot in 3D as is [The Hobbit], as you said with the RED Epic’s. Those are small cameras, those RED Epic’s. I mean they’re doing steadicam, they’re doing over-the-shoulder, they’re doing everything with those cameras, and it’s 3D which is to me pretty phenomenal. My experience of it is that it’s the same, I mean it seems to be becoming the norm which is crazy in many regards, but I guess as time goes on things move on forward. The cameras are probably getting lighter and smaller, as they are with the RED Epic’s. But they’re doing remarkable things on The Hobbit with these cameras that I couldn’t have imagined, and [Musketeers] was shot with James Cameron’s cameras, the ARRI Alexa. There was a little bit more setup time and stuff I would say, but not massively so. The shoots are still the same sort of length and as an actor your experience is not any different, you’re still relating to other actors in the same way. I think as an audience member you get quality when it’s shot in 3D.Bloom: I’ve just done a stint, I’m gonna go back. I’ve just been over there. I’m literally just on bit of a hiatus doing some press for [Three Musketeers] and then I’m going back there. I’ll be on and off all next year.

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The Hobbit is an upcoming two-part epic fantasy film directed by Peter Jackson. It is a film adaptation of the 1937 novel of the same name by J. R. R. Tolkien and prequel to The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings, returns as director of the film and also serves as producer and co-writer. The film will star Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and Richard Armitage, known for playing Lucas North in the BBC drama series Spooks, as Thorin Oakenshield. Several actors from Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy will reprise their roles, including Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Elijah Wood, and Orlando Bloom. Additionally, composer Howard Shore, who wrote the score for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, has confirmed his role in both parts of the film project. The two parts, entitled The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again, are being filmed back to back and are currently in production in New Zealand; principal photography began on March 21, 2011. They are scheduled to be released on December 14, 2012 and December 13, 2013, respectively.

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