6. Legolas - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Before Peter Jackson severely broadened the scope of The Hobbit adaptation Legolas was firmly viewed as a Lord Of The Rings only character. He was essential to the War of the Ring, but even though his father is an important force in the Middle Earth hes really just milling around sixty years before he the real fight begins. Just like new characters expanded from footnotes (Azog was originally killed at Moria, suggesting he will take the place of an unnamed character who commits a shocking deed in The Battle Of The Five Armies), Legolas has been worked into The Hobbit Trilogy, forming a focal part of The Desolation Of Smaug's trailer. As hes not in the book his role will most likely be padding rather than plot essential, with the news hes in both upcoming Hobbit movies suggesting the later two will be a forcibly expanded as the first. Its too early to condemn the films, but whats certain is that entries of the Hobbit Trilogy will be in a small way defined by which Rings characters
dont make a cameo; Frodo will undoubtedly pop up to say 'Hi' once more in There And Back Again.