'Hannibal' Season 3 Cast News, Rumors: Richard Armitage From 'The Hobbit' To Star As The Tooth Fairy

One of the stars in "The Hobbit" will join the cast of "Hannibal," the television adaptation of Thomas Harris' popular novels, for a six-episode run of its upcoming third season, the show announced on Twitter.

"Hannibal" announced that Richard Armitage, who played dwarf king Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit trilogy, will portray Francis Dolarhyde, the serial killer known as Tooth Fairy.

Dolarhyde is a hulking serial killer with a set of chompers that would make Big Bad Wolf's appear normal. He is the main villain in Harris "The Red Dragon" that was previously played by Ralph Fiennes in an Anthony Hopkins movie starrer.

The Tooth Fairy has a penchant for targeting entire households for slaughter, TVLine said when it first broke the news late last week.

Bryan Fuller, the executive producer of NBC's hit horror drama, discussed about the appearance of Dolarhyde at last year's Comic-Con, promising that he would first appear on "Hannibal" Season 3's Episode 8.

Moviegoers last saw Armitage playing treasure-obsessed king of the dwarves, Thorin, in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies," which came out last month.

The British actor also starred in Steven Quale's "Into the Storm," played the part of John Proctor in a 2014 retelling of "The Crucible," co-starred in Marvel's "Captain America: The First Avenger," and starred on BBC One's "Spooks" for several seasons.

His casting for the third season of "Hannibal" came almost a week after the show said Tony Award-winning Nina Arianda will also join the cast as Will Graham's wife, Molly.

Last month, the role of sociopathic Mason Verger was recast — with Joe Anderson ("The Divide") stepping in for Michael Pitt ("Boardwalk Empire"). Gillian Anderson was also upgraded to series regular as the mysterious Bedelia du Maurier in advance of the third season of "Hannibal."

The series, which concluded Season 2 last May, tracks the evolving relationship between an FBI criminal profiler (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen).

"Hannibal" was renewed for a Season 3 by NBC network that same month, while averaging a young-skewing 1.4 rating.