With just over a week to go until Peter Jackson takes us back to Middle-earth with the release of the first installment of his three-part Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit, Warner Bros. and MGM have released a selection of clips from the epic fantasy, which you can check out right here:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows title character Bilbo Baggins [Martin Freeman], who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug [Benedict Cumberbatch]. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey [Ian McKellen], Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield [Richard Armitage]. 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 [Andy Serkis]. 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.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens in UK cinemas on Thursday, December 13th ahead of a North American release the following day.
