Richard Armitage joins cast of Ocean's Eight

Richard Armitage is to appear in 'Ocean's Eight'.

The 'Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' actor has joined the cast of the crime heist movie which is a female-led spin-off from the 'Ocean's Trilogy' - which starred George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon.

It is not known which character Armitage will play but he joins an ensemble packed with Hollywood A-listers such as Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Rihanna.

Damon is to make an appearance as his character Linus Caldwell for a fourth time and James Corden and rapper Awkwafina have unspecified roles, whereas Damian Lewis is confirmed to be playing the main villain.

The film is being directed by Gary Ross - who has also co-written the script with Olivia Milch - and it is being produced by Steven Soderbergh and Clooney. It is scheduled for a June 2018 release.

Kim Kardashian West and her half-sister Kendall Jenner have just filmed a cameo for the film appearing in a recreation of the annual Met Gala scene at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Other celebrities poised to make appearances in the movie include Zayn Malik, Hailey Baldwin, Maria Sharapova, Olivia Munn and Tyga - who is the boyfriend of Kendall's sister Kylie Jenner.