Stephen Colbert to Cameo in HOBBIT Triology

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a "knowledgeable source" has revealed that funnyman Stephen Colbert will make a cameo appearance in Peter Jackson's upcoming HOBBIT trilogy. The 'Colbert Report' host is a known J.R.R. Tolkien and Lord of the Rings fan who teased the possibility of a cameo in a recent interview with Playboy magazine.

The Comedy Central star will not be appearing in the upcoming The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, but one of the other films in the series that will be released later. No details have been revealed as to the role he'll play or whether it will be a main character or just a background part.

Jackson's THE HOBBIT follows Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield.

Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever... Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

The cast includes Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Evangeline Lilly and Andy Serkis. The film will be released in theaters on December 14th.