First clip from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey released

The world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey takes place tonight in New Zealand ahead of the film's release in just over two weeks, and to further build excitement for our impending return to Middle-earth, a first clip from the epic Tolkien fantasy has been released which sees Ian McKellen's Gandalf the Grey bestowing a familiar gift upon Martin Freeman's Bilbo Baggins - his trusty sword, Sting.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first of Peter Jackson's three-part prequel to The Lord of the Rings, and sees Ian McKellen's Gandalf joined by fellow Middle-earth veterans Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Hugo Weaving, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis and Elijah Wood. Also featuring in the enormous ensemble cast are Richard Armitage (Captain America: The First Avenger), Benedict Cumberbatch (Star Trek Into Darkness), Stephen Fry (Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows), Evangeline Lilly (Lost), Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who) and James Nesbitt (Coriolanus).

Here's the 'sneak peek' first clip:


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits cinemas on December 13th in the UK and December 14th in North America, while The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is released on December 13th, 2013 and The Hobbit: There and Back Again concludes the saga on July 18th, 2014.