Benedict Cumberbatch describes playing the bad guy for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Benedict Cumberbatch sits down with Drew McWeeny to talk playing big bad dragon Smaug for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Cumberbatch goes into detail about his training for the special language his character uses during the film.
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[@LilyGrace95]

I could honestly listen to Benedict's voice all day long....

[@kwstikas82]

1:33 this guy must have been the nazgul's voice!

[@XxCoolie99xX]

Hahaha lol!

[@Grandifame]

lmao

[@HarekaTysiri]

Bruhh.. 😂😂😂😂

[@TheShadowedOne1]

I really hope they release a BTS video or videos of Cumberbatch's facial/motion-capture of Smaug and the Nec. I really want to see how they translated that so perfectly in the film.

[@TheShadowedOne1]

Heh. Hey, they actually and finally did release a video about Cumberbatch's Smaug! Thank you Peter Jackson! Now release Manu Bennett's Azog performance!

[@Shadsilvson11]

CinemaSins: Benedict Cumberbatch isn't getting an Oscar nomination. (Ding)

[@Tarotiste]

Thank you so much for actually asking Mr. Cumberbatch questions about how he does what he does. He is so very talented and intelligent that those answers are fascinating. Most interviewers seem so focused on embarrassing him or Mr. Freeman, or asking them --yet again--- if they know someone on the Internet compared them to woodland creatures (Yes, they do) and there is no time to find out how they actually develop the characters they play or decide what type of voice would be best, or how difficult it is technically to act without another actor to work with. THANK YOU for not taking the easy, lazy way out. I've shared this with several friends who are fans since it is so rare to get a good interview.

[@Shadowphoenixfire]

Aaaaah, what a brilliant interview! This was really great and lots of fun. Can't believe he did a bit of the Black Speech backwards, wow! Often interviewers will interrupt him, but you did a wonderful job of just letting him talk (and he will talk a lot when you do that!!!). Thanks! :)

[@4DubOz]

Wow, really a great interview! Both from the questioner and Benedict. Its great to see real dialogue in these interviews instead of generic cue card answers.

[@maff77]

Wonderful and very interesting interview! Benedict was, hands down, the star of the Desolation of Smaug

[@MsPatataki]

Smaug-Benedict... The hottest dragon in the history of cinema!!!

[@JedaqiaAngel]

I always love his interviews. His answers are always intelligent & it feels like I'm learning 'proper' English. lol!

[@TheMarciahhh]

Just close your eyes and take in his voice my god

[@dotsmyfavorite2]

Just love him, what a brilliant and humble person.

[@lucas8265]

Seriously amazing actor. Would love to meet him

[@lauramockingjay2367]

Benedict:Which also kills your voice, cause you're gonig ZGIFNASHGIFNU Me: *wheezing with laughter*

[@kenburns4547]

The Hobbit: Into Darkness

[@DocOverlord]

Cool behind the scene info about how they did Sauron :) Neat how they had Cumberbatch say the Black Speech backward and reversed that!

[@rosekinight170]

Good interviewer ..... always amazing to hear how Benedict forms his rules :)

[@agreatlotrfan6178]

1:32 Nazgul !!

[@White69Gemini]

can't wait to see his magnificence in blueray and the voice is vary impressive! as Kahn he hit that nail on the head too ;)

[@Prene16]

i didnt know that benedict played the necromance too!! anyway, he was great and i kind o liked the dragon-smaug- just because of him!!!

[@cpasta517]

Benedict Cumberbatch is the rising darkness of middle earth pass it on

[@Mintylight]

Have to say, the interviewer Drew McWeeny (if that is actually his name...) does a great job here. So many interviewers are false by training or disinterested and cut their interviewees off mid sentence to just get to the next question as fast as possible. Nice.

[@TenshiRyuzaki]

Benedict Cumberbatch should have been the 12th Doctor.

[@MisterKnosen]

Simon Pegg should have been the 12th doctor :p

[@TenshiRyuzaki]

Mathias Kristensen That couldn't work he was a guest star, he can't just become The Doctor.

[@tomoevo16]

***** Give the fires of Pompeii a watch.

[@TenshiRyuzaki]

Mr Power Glove Did I ever talk about Peter Capaldi? I know he was in that episode that's one of many reasons I don't like him as The Doctor

[@tomoevo16]

I was just pointing out the fact he was in an episode in case you missed it, personally I think he is the best "actor" to take the role so far and am quite excited to see how he does.

[@MzFoRi3]

I love your interviews. Very real, keep it up 👍

[@EpicURL34]

awesome movie :p and cool participation from the Benedict :D

[@EpicURL34]

*from Ben

[@MultiWiink]

He seems so humble! :)

[@princecharmling14]

Hit the nail on the fkin head "...there are still dark forces that we need to be aware of or rather human failings..." thats why I love stories like these. Cus they remind us that we can be heroes in the face of our failings. woot~!

[@metalmaria26]

A 'faen-testic job', he nails the accent.

[@darkeyes2]

loved the movie! just watched it and cant wait for the next one. his voice work was amazing

[@jlistetson]

"His (sauron); i mean its" hahaha

[@Eveek777]

He auditioned to play Smaug?? It must have been a really funny audition. :D

[@onmiwoaisuouyo]

Finally someone REALLY intelligent and Tolkien-learned and capable of grasping and enjoying the FULL essence of Middle-Earth in the second movie... (Save for Ian, but he isn't new in Tolkienian art, and, at least partly, for his genially Bilboish friend, our cute Martin Freeman. And, of course, I don't even mention the only genius of Middle-Earth since the time of Tolkien himself - Howard Shore - whose soundtrack tells more than the whole film... Richard and Lee don't possess so much shrewdness, but they really do feel through their character and are wonderful actors (if only they were given the proper space for going deeper). But, otherwise... Where now the elf and his nature? Where is the depth and the pitch? Where is the horn that should be blowing? :-$ They have been drowned in the PC-figure and idiotic puppy eyes of Legolas's and the Killi's teenage-like gags...!!!!!!

[@AdinaIspas]

Yes, Shore's soundtrack says more than the whole film, but the most important part is "Use Well The Days" which never even made it on the official soundtrack. Where tf is TRUE LOVE in this story? The "I love him, whether he is light or dark" part, which we all read and held our breath in our teenage years... All we get is some Hollywoodian neuron-smashing "action/adventure" that attempts to resonate with some made-up "War on Terror" and people thinking they know Tolkien when they don't, he used "bait and switch" to the perspective of the dark side (ie. you might find that things are not as we thought....). Look up "Luana's Country". "The Sun of Luana protected the country until the enemies dressed in metal suits threw it down and then there was only a wasteland" ("They stole it from us" is the true meaning).

[@sarahcates2952]

Good interviewer

[@alfredjohansson172]

1:34 is that the witch king?!!!!!

[@TheTopazChannel]

Why did the inteviewer have to look so unkept? Youre proving them right, dude!

[@jomoody798]

Benedict is the voice of darkness

[@madtantrum]

I read "HODOR" on the t-shirt right ?

[@RachelAnn1217]

YES! Freaking brilliant.

[@15Jin15]

Sherlock!!

[@emilywillingham2188]

Can somone explain the "Necromancer" to me? I heard them talking about it in the movie, but I still have no idea what that is.

[@cbrownjc]

The Necromancer is the "dark evil" that has been living in the abandoned fortress of Dol Guldur, which is near Mirkwood forest. A lot of evil has been coming into the rest of the world from it (such as the spiders that have been infecting Mirkwood), and The Necromancer controls all of that evil. The Necromancer is actually Sauron, the big bad of the LOTR trilogy. He's still regaining his power at this point, and hadn't revealed himself to be Sauron yet. (In the book of The Hobbit, Gandalf would sometimes disappear from the story and you didn't know where he was or what he was doing until the very end, when he revealed to Bilbo that he had been fighting The Necromancer).

[@emilywillingham2188]

Ahhhhh, okay! That makes sense. I just didn't understand what that was the first time I watched the new Hobbit movie. Thank you for clarifying!

[@agreatlotrfan6178]

***** The necromancer is the weakened form of Sauron because in the prologue to the Lord of the Rings he was defeated by Ilsildor and lost the ring of power, which Sauron put his life force and power into, which is the ring that Bilbo found in Gollums cave in the Hobbit but no one in this trilogy knows that yet and so Sauron is weakened by that and hides in DolGuldor so he can build his armies and get a little more strength but at the end of The Hobbit Sauron is driven out of DolGuldor by The White Council and flees to Mordor. When Tolkien wrote The Hobbit he had Gandalf leave the company so he could avoid a plot hole that Gandalf could easily kill Smaug by himself so Tolkien had him fight the Necromancer so he would have something to do while the company deals with Smaug. When The Hobbit became a success Tolkien then wrote Lord of the Rings in which he made The Necromancer into Sauron. Peter Jackson made the Lord of the Rings first because it is considered to be the Tolkien masterpiece so The Hobbit films are imagined as a direct prequel to the Lord of the Rings films

[@jomoody798]

I liked when he talked about the global economy fckyeah

[@zima101]

That black.speech he just did gives me chills.

[@noalysanne]

Omfc!!!! I cant look at anything els then his lower button!!!! *melt* fu you benedict😍 omc i love you!!

[@hernewacke6836]

smaugs voice sounded good but his roars was exactly like the Balrog. But does it show the Sauron the Necromancer in full form ? not really.

[@Tobiemoss]

Smaug sounded like Michael Gambon (2nd dumbledore) to me. Also if Sauron isnt fully manifested yet, why does it show him in physical form.

[@MatthewBugejaGD]

I can't think of any other reason than they wanted to put him in the movie to get people all excited and cheering. I would have rather they just let the source material speak for itself rather than playing with it to the extent that they felt they needed to.

[@beohel]

Matthew Bugeja Personally I think that the movie would not have worked out if he had just went straight on with the source material as he needed to explain everything and set the stage for the Lord of the Rings, in a way that it matches all his earlier movies. However, I really wished that he deleted Tauriel as that was too forced and adds on nothing more than misery when Fili dies.

[@MatthewBugejaGD]

Of course they can elaborate a bit more on stuff and add in some of the history where required, but the finding of the ring is all the setup readers got before the LOTR books were released.

[@dennist.8210]

I could hear a slight resemblance to Sir Gambon, but only slightly.

[@subutaynoyan5372]

Mohamed Ghita You didn't look carefully it seems..

[@pablomansini6449]

Everyone pronounces Smaug incorrectly, it’s pronounced shm-ow-g

[@sulav05]

how can dragon speak?

[@AdinaIspas]

Ask yourselves why Smaug is so "desolate" in the first place... if he's the same guy as the Dark Lord (TRUE Serpent King of Numenor, the others are taking their wisdom from him) that's an added bonus! Hint: these Dragons represented Asteroid impacts in people's imagination, and Numenor vanished in some type of cosmic catastrophe because the gods were scared humans would ascend to the heavens, and as we all know, humans have fleas, of course. "God of mercy does not destroy - it is only YOUR wrath which destroys..." (Luke).

[@concord327]

The Desolation is what Smaug did to the dwarven people he destroyed cities. Smaug and Sauron are not the "same guy" they both represent evil or the dark side. and it's just a story just like the bible.

[@soziomulan7830]

Ovaries like *boom boom BOOM*

[@MrWilliamPowers]

the trilogy after it? what now?

[@Xenithrawxx]

He meant the Lord of the Rings trilogy!

[@Kaemonarch]

I find him referring to the Dark Tongue of Mordor as "Black Speech" racist. Please refer to it as "Orcish Mordorian Speech" in the future. Thanks.

[@agentbiteme19]

I thought he was amazng in Star Trek.. This is a whole. 'notha. level.

[@bejt]

it's amazing how he goes into imitating ppl so smoothly, he nailed Peter Jackson :)

[@pjay829]

Agreed. He is such a great mimic. He's got a great ear for it.

[@zima101]

That black.speech he just did gives me chills.

[@GhandisEvilTwin]

I can't believe I have to wait another year to see the next part. Desolation of Smaug was mindblowing.

[@GabzitoHD]

I AM FIRE... I AM DEATH. SOOOOO GOOD

[@ceruleantear1]

Benedict never half-asses any answers. This man is terrific at interviews.

[@JusteenWheatley]

He's just terrific in general

[@meszszs]

*GASP* I kneeeewwww that black speech was backwards!! It just had such a creepy horrible quality... wow! So cool!

[@MarkaNgamer]

"now that is a one big batch of cumber, ill tell ya that!" - Jeremy Jahns

[@CastleBravo17]

HAHA I LOVE JEREMY JAHNS!

[@GhoulishGwyn]

"...the dragon. How was he? Eh, he was alright." *punches himself in the face and screams* -Jeremy Jahns

[@suhail4324]

1:32 Nazgûl!!! The interviewer is one of the 9 Ring-wraiths.

[@sarahhi3856]

He also plays the Necromancer?! WHAT?! Wow, I'm a really bad fan for not knowing this.

[@MaedayMisfit]

Same her

[@karissarasmussen567]

What? Really? Wow just WOW

[@theshadowman2241]

He did an amazing job. When Smaug was speaking the entire theater trembled and it gave me shivers.

[@Boneworm852]

I would love to hear his audition tapes for Smaug.

[@cellofingers]

I think Benedict Cumberbatch is arguably the best British actor since Sir John Gielgud.

[@anuradhapandit9824]

Can there honestly be anything hotter than Benedict playing a Dragon???? *phew*...i need to calm down!

[@mrbulbasore1258]

oh... I had no idea he did Sauron too.

[@barbaranader]

He has the sexiest voice on earth

[@petrah.svennevig2093]

The only consulting general-rising-of-darkness in middle earth.

[@Quaxalified]

LOL.

[@sleepykat9]

He is soooo hott and badass xD

[@manonbeautychaine]

HODOR

[@di942842]

love the interview...very relaxing, non-scripted, just two people talking...and i like how benedict takes the time to give detailed answers...

[@TheRealFrigg]

In The Hobbit, Fili, Kili and Thorin die. In the book anyway.

[@xxxusernameherexxx]

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@TortillaPB]

***** i dont think fili and kili die

[@TheRealFrigg]

creepermasterPB They do in the book. While protecting Thorin. Then Beorn saves Thorin then he dies from his injuries later.

[@TortillaPB]

when did that heppen? beorn wasnt even..... i mean...... gah forget it! idk if im right lol

[@TheRealFrigg]

In the book, in the battle of the five armies. The movie might not have them die though. It's already changed the plot from the book alot so it's possible they'll live in the movie.

[@sherlockeholmesse5560]

If they ever adapt more of the lore into film; he'd by ideal for the role of Ancalagon The Black.

[@MarkaNgamer]

Catch THIS: 0:44 "...where it leads and a TRILOGY AFTER IT..." Wait... WHAT!!?? :D There will be ANOTHER?? [Silmarillion]

[@ShadowWolverine]

He said "where it leads to in the next and the trilogy after it" basically meaning "where it leads to in Hobbit Part 3 and the Lord of the Rings." If they choose to adapt Silmarillion, which could be very likely, the majority of the events in that would take place before even the Hobbit

[@snakelalilulelo]

Spoilers: The Necromancer is Sauron

[@Quadrophoenixx]

Duh he means LOTR trilogy as it comes after the Hobbit EDIT: FutureImagineer is right, if you really knew your stuff, you would have known that Silmarillion takes place way way before the events of the Hobbit and LOTR

[@AbbieBrowne]

I think he means chronologically, which would be lotr... Silmarillion would be nice though! ;)

[@timlamiam]

Abi Brown I love the silmarillion, but there is no way a non-tolkien fan audience would sit through a rendition of the silmarillion. I don't see how a movie can entice an audience with 6000 years of elvish history. I would watch it the day it comes out, ofc, but others wouldn't.

[@TheThrashMaster]

Interviewer said Smaug correctly! woo..

[@ryank8843]

Smaug is sort of a jerk, but Thorin is the real villain.

[@meetgouri]

This is the best interview for Smaug I have heard. Qs are good for a change, Ben loves to talk when the Q is good. The actors must be so refreshed after Drew McWeeny was done with his Qs.

[@Dorkane000]

global aconomy=smaug

[@ataberkin]

İf ..and if they make sillimarilion in to movie ..Benedict Cumberbatch should play Fëanor !!!

[@MrUkuleleApple]

I love the interviewer's shirt!!!

[@BixiTricks]

Soo disappointing they didn't give smaug the last sentence saying his tail was a thunder bolt :/ N changing up the way he said each one but its ok He was still amazing as smaug i almost fangirl yelled as soon as he started speaking smaugs speech in the move :p

[@Namirast]

Omg is that a Hodor shirt he's wearing? AHAHAHA

[@richardgranger9374]

his laugh scared the shit out of me.....

[@TheWestFlanders]

1:32 Witch King Screech??

[@XarkoCZ]

lol

[@agreatlotrfan6178]

Pieter Vandaele LMAO

[@ThreeKhalilVideo]

He look like smaug

[@Katietsoi]

omg his shirt

[@fucheduck]

really, the only thing I liked about this movie was the Dragon, and Bilbo's dealings with him.. Gandalf was okay, not as good as he was in LoTR. Hated the dwarves, hated lake towne hated the barrel ride. Hated the labyrinth with the dragon, it was overdone. I liked the dragon and Bilbo scenes in the treasure room(which was in the book) hated the ending, anti-climactic! yeah it is a middle movie but you don't end a movie like that and begin the 3rd one with smaug attacking, you end THIS movie with smaug attacking and begin the next with the aftermath. What stupidity is this? Jackson does what so many directors do these days, like Lucas, is filled with pride so he tries to edit it himself instead of hiring an editor!

[@AdinaIspas]

Oh god, again with the stupid "real life turmoil of Europe" - THAT WAS NOT WHERE LOTR CAME FROM, jeez people get your facts straight! The NAZIS are the Light Elves, not the Orcs. Etc etc. There's nothing worthwhile in these movies anymore, you really have to dig deep to get some true meta, even though it does happen regardless of PJ's views and silly neuron-smashing (see Benedict & Freeman previously acting together as Sherlock & Watson). Tauriel? Seriously? What are we, Stargate SG-1? Legolas is a Dark Elf, and he belongs with Dark Lord!! The Rings are political strongholds against herdist abuse, and the One ring was made to stop Elves leaving Middle-earth - ask yourselves why they shouldn't leave... "I wanna do bad things with you", no doubt!

[@MegaCityOne]

Either Smaug becomes the Necromancer, or Smaug ends up fighting against Sauron. Smaug VS. Sauron would be a good twist & a good fight. I since that there is a good side of Smaug, but he to arrogant to let it out.

[@MegaCityOne]

Edward Kenway Smaug seems evil, but he also has a personality. He is arrogant, wise, and a trickster. He knew what the ring was but he was already so powerful, that the ring didn't even impress him. I could see Smaug becoming jelous of Saurons power & joining with the people to destroy Sauron. Think about it. It would be the perfect battle. One douche bag VS. another douche bag. If Smaug dies fighting Sauron, he could finally realize that gold & riches realy aren't the most important things in life. Kinda a emotional scene. I doubt Smaug will die in the opening scene of the next movie, because his character is to interesting to die like that. And we all know that Lord of the Rings movies always make it seem like someones about to die, then at the last second, they avoid death.

[@MegaCityOne]

Bruce Marlon Nah. I've never been into books. I just like the movie. However, I think Smaug, Balrog & Sauron all come from the same evil master. But what if Smaug turned against his evil master. Smaug kinda has a "Hellraiser" like personality.

[@zyronn]

***** smaug has no master, and was not "made" by Sourons master, Morgoth, he is a creature of north not normaly seen in this part of middle earth, but the mass amount of gold and gems led him to the lonley mountain

[@zyronn]

***** smaug and sauron will not fight in the 3rd and last movie. first of all if you would have read the book or some facts about it you would know. and sauron is pretty much only a dark force and has no fysical form so a fight would be impossible, smaug will die by a black arrow shot by bard the bowsman in lake town and he will crash there and die, but it will be interesting to see how it will go down

[@reg074]

Nah, Smaug would have eventually bent the knee to Sauron

[@windi1982]

Beni can simple play ANYTHING, EVERYWHERE!! Amazing!

[@ohevshalomel]

I want Mr. McWeeny's shirt. Is it improper to mention a love of "GOT" on a "Hobbit" interview video?

[@abandonedgreatness4468]

No movie can stand against the entire Middle Earth trilogies

[@GodmyX]

I envy him that voice :)

[@jackcollin1695]

Now he can go back time and play as the good guy on the hobbit.

[@dawn871213]

The price tag on the goblet, it keeps bugging me so much!

[@Taschamcfly]

Sherlock & Watson. ♥♥

[@Annekid333]

I could listen to him talk all day..

[@Aleynjar]

I love that little "whoo" sound at 1:42

[@db5401rb]

Its Sherlock Holmes.....coooool

[@pockiramen]

My baby!

[@kimmytaylor4267]

amazing actor. and such a beautiful voice.

[@Mikmarfro]

Sherlock? x)