Hobbit Trailer - First part of 'Lord of the Rings' prequel gets previewed

Hobbit trailer screengrab showing Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman)

The first trailer of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey", the first part of the movie adaptation of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy prequel, has made its way online.

Helmed by the director of the LOTR series, Peter Jackson, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" stars Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield and Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug. A number of actors from the LOTR films will also reprise their roles, including Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom. Also coming back for the production are illustrators John Howe and Alan Lee, art director Dan Hennah and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie.

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is set for theater release on December 14, 2012. The second part, "The Hobbit: There and Back Again", will be released a year after.

Check out the first trailer of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" below:


Here's the premise of the 2-part "The Hobbit" movie according to Warner Bros. Pictures:

The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.