Two more names have been added to the expanding cast list for the upcoming FOX drama from J.J. Abrams, entitled Fringe.

First up is Lance Reddick. The star of HBO’s The Wire and the forthcoming season of Lost will take on the role of a Homeland Security special agent who specializes paranormal events.

Next is John Noble, who you should immediately recognize from his role as Denethor in Lord of the Rings. He will be taking on the role of one of the central characters, the scientist whose crazy ideas have left him institutionalized, but which also may prove to be the answer to the sudden outbreak of paranormal events.

No word yet on the female FBI agent who will be the primary protagonist.

(Source: TV Guide)

Though some other writers on this site may differ in opinion with me on this, J.J. Abrams can do no wrong. The guy has brought us some of the best shows in recent memory with Lost and Alias, I really enjoyed what he did with M:I3, and I’m so pumped for Cloverfield this weekend that my head may explode. Heck, I’m even interested in his new Star Trek movie, and I don’t even like Trek.

So…there’s my lipservice to Abrams.

Abrams newest project, Fringe, follows a female FBI agent who faces a boom of unexplained phenomena and who must then team up with a nutbag (my words, not theirs) scientist who may just hold all the answers. FOX has granted the team a whopping $10 million to produce the pilot.

In casting news, Kirk Acevedo, Tomas Arana and Mark Valley have all been tapped to star in the show. Acevedo, who you may know from Black Donnellys and Oz, will team up with Valley, Boston Legal’s Brad Chase, as FBI agents, and Arana, who has played bit roles in lots of stuff, “will play a special agent for Homeland Security who heads the special Fringe division, established to investigate a series of terrorist/paranormal events.”

(Source: SCI FI Wire)