Rob Kazinsky (EastEnders) has dropped out of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit.  Kazinsky was set to play the dwarf Fili, one of the twelve Dwarves that accompany Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) on his quest to steal treasure guarded by the dragon Smaug.  Jackson made the announcement on his official Facebook page and said that Kazinsky has returned home for personal reasons.  Filming will not be affected as they are currently shooting scenes that feature Bilbo without the Dwarves.   Expect a casting announcement of a new Fili in the near-future.

Hit the jump for a synopsis of The Hobbit.  The film will be broken into two parts with Part 1 set for December 2012 and Part 2 slated for December 2013.

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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