After months of anticipation, Warner Bros. has finally released the second trailer for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Guillermo del Toro, the director of the Hellboy films, Pan's Labyrinth, and Blade 2 was originally set to helm the film, but exited the project due to other commitments after collaborating with the creative team for two years. While del Toro wasn't on board for principal photography, his input went into the creature design, wardrobe, and animatics of the film.
The New Line Cinema/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures film will host the return of Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Elijah Wood as Frodo, Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Ian Holm as Old Bilbo, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Andy Serkis as Gollum, and Christopher Lee as Saruman. Fresh faces such as Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin Oakenshield, and Aiden Turner, who plays Kili, will star in the film.
The Hobbit was initially planned to span two films, but Peter Jackson recently announced that the story will become a trilogy.
For those unfamiliar with the book, The Hobbit takes place before the events of The Lord of the Rings and follows the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, who is recruited by Gandalf the Grey to accompany thirteen dwarfs across the lands of Middle Earth to the Lonely Mountain. Along the way, Bilbo encounters Gollum, who possesses "the one ring." Fans will be able to preview a certain bargain that the two characters make in the trailer.
The Hobbit looks to be a more light-hearted romp through Middle Earth than The Lord of the Rings, if the trailer is any indication.
To see four alternate endings to the film's trailer, visit the film's official site.
The Hobbit releases in 2D, 3D, and IMAX on December 14.
The Hobbit Trailer 2