Andy Serkis (who plays the roles of Gollum, Smeagol and the Wizard of Angmar in the films The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy , as well as in video games related to Tolkien’s Middle-earth) in May this year took part in the Hobbitathon charity event , where he read the Hobbit of Tolkien live for 12 hours. Cover to cover to raise the money needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
As he said in May:
So many of us are fighting in isolation during the lockdown. Though times are tough, I want to take you on one of the greatest fantastic adventures ever written, a 12 Hour Seat Marathon through Middle-earth, raising money for two amazing charities that are now doing extraordinary work to help Britain’s most needy. Beginnings and NHS Charities Together… I will be reading The Hobbit cover to cover and back and forth at the marathon . The entire book. Hobbitathon!
British publishing house Harper Collins has decided to publish an audiobook with the adventures of Bilbo Baggins presented by Andy Serkis.
The income from the recordings will once again support the charity, this time it will support the Disasters Emergency Committee foundation.
The official world premiere of The Hobbit audiobook will take place on September 3rd, but it is now available for pre-order here .