If you watched the first season of BBC's Sherlock, then you know that star Benedict Cumberbatch was a terrific modern interpretation of Sherlock Holmes that didn't simply copy TV's other modern-day Holmes, Hugh Laurie's Dr. Gregory House.  Now he's set to join his Sherlock Holmes co-star Martin Freeman in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit.  Freeman accidentally let the news slip to BBC Entertainment Reporter Lizo Mzimba [via TheOneRing], but I fully support any additional attention to Cumberbatch.  He's definitely an actor worth taking note of and audiences will get to see more of him later this year not only in the second season of Sherlock, but also in Tomas Alfredson's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Steven Spielberg's War Horse.

The Hobbit is set to arrive in 3D in two parts.  Part 1 is slated to open December 2012 with Part 2 set to hit theaters in December 2013.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of the novel.

Here's the synopsis for J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit:

Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is a peaceful sort of cozy hole in the Shire, a place where adventures are uncommon and rather unwanted. So when the wizard Gandalf whisks him away on a treasure hunting expedition with a troop of rowdy dwarves, he’s not entirely thrilled. Encountering ruthless trolls, beastly orcs, gigantic spiders, and hungry wolves, Bilbo discovers within himself astonishing strength and courage. And at the ultimate confrontation with the fearsome dragon Smaug, the hobbit will brave the dangers of dark and dragon fire alone and unaided. [Amazon]

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