Artwork by Ted Nasmith
According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2012 is the year of the Dragon. More specifically, since Chinese astrology follows the lunar calendar, the year of the Dragon will start on January 23, 2012 and end on February 5, 2013.
Hopefully during this year, we will get our first glimpse of the dragon Smaug from “The Hobbit.” Though he won’t be appearing in the first “Hobbit” film due out on December 14, 2012, I think that either through Peter Jackson’s video blogs or official press releases, we will get at least a peek at the “Worm of Dread” himself.
We know we can expect him to look at least somewhat like what Tolkien described.
There he lay, a vast red-golden dragon, fast asleep; thrumming came from his jaws and nostrils, and wisps of smoke, but his fires were low in slumber. Beneath him, under all his limbs and his huge coiled tail, and about him on all sides stretching away across the unseen floors, lay countless piles of precious things, gold wrought and unwrought, gems and jewels, and silver red-stained in the ruddy light. Smaug lay, with wings folded like an immeasurable bat, turned partly on one side, so that the hobbit could see his underparts and his long pale belly crusted with gems and fragments of gold from his long lying on his costly bed.
The Hobbit, Chapter XII – “Inside Information”
Photo: The Guardian
Benedict Cumberbatch is an auspicious choice to play Smaug, because not only is he a talented actor with a distinctive voice, but he is a dragon himself! He was born on July 19, 1976, which means he was also born in the year of the Dragon!
