Smaug! Benedict Cumberbatch and Luke Evans in The Hobbit

It looks like all the major players are finally in place as two more people join Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit.

Luke Evans, who will soon be crossing blades on the big screen as Aramis in the upcoming Three Musketeers, tackles another action-packed role as Bard the Grim, described by Deadline as “somewhat reminiscent of the action-hero exploits of Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn.” Bard is a skilled archer and the heir of King Girion of Dale, and the throne is now closer since the talking dragon, Smaug, killed his father.

Speaking of Smaug, one actor in particular will now be working double duty according to Deadline. Benedict Cumberbatch, who is already providing the voice for Necromancer, will also be lending his voice talents to Smaug, portraying the talking dragon with motion capture. While Middle-Earth might be all about Cumberbatch’s voice, you can actually see his face as the title character on the BBC/PBS series, Sherlock, as well as on the big screen in the upcoming Steven Spielberg-directed War Horse and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, with Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy and Colin Firth.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is expected to arrive in theaters on December 14, 2012, with The Hobbit: There and Back Again showing up on the big screen on December 13, 2013.