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Benedict Cumberbatch’s audition for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is showcased in a new featurette, four years after the actor tried out for the role.
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Cumberbatch, of course, portrays Smaug, the dragon who guards Lonely Mountain in the Tolkien novel, The Hobbit. For the film, the dragon came to life through Cumberbatch’s vocal performance, as well as motion capture that allowed him to act out movements that were then used for the visual generation of the dragon. Cumberbatch also plays the sorcerer Necromancer, a performance that is similarly created through voiceovers and motion capture.
Though The Desolation of Smaug movie, the sequel to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, didn’t hit theaters until last year, Cumberbatch actually had to audition back in 2010, when roles for the trilogy were being cast. Cumberbatch will reprise the parts in the final installment, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which hits theaters in December.
In the newly-released featurette, which is included on a special extended edition of The Desolation of Smaug DVD to be released on November 4, fans can see the original tape Cumberbatch submitted for his audition. In an interview, the actor reveals how his head movements helped him create Smaug’s voice, but ultimately sent in a clip where his face wasn’t actually shown.
Check out the video below!
