The Hobbit has never been out of print since its release in 1937. It boasts countless adaptations across every medium imaginable, some superb, some mostly forgettable (looking at you Vivendi). All of those works combined have not generated the amount of buzz that this 2 and 1/2 minute trailer is likely to produce within the next 24 hours.
The first feature trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Peter Jackson’s first of two films inspired by the novel, has recently been released to the salivating Tolkien fans that have been waiting for its arrival since the production announcement was made.
The trailer gives fans a first glimpse at the legendary company of thirteen dwarves who will sweep Bilbo into a quest of epic proportions, both in terms of the journey and of Bilbo’s personal growth. We see just enough in the teaser to leave us satisfied yet still wanting so much more. Various aspects of Bilbo’s journey are briefly shown, but the two major sequences that stand out are the company’s skirmish with the trolls and of course, Bilbo’s first encounter with Gollum. Bilbo’s acquisition of the Ring may in fact be the very spot where the filmmakers choose to leave off, perhaps building the anticipation for the story’s grandiose second half.
With Jackson and New Line again heading the project in addition to the star-studded cast we’ve come to expect from the LOTR franchise, it’s clear that the biggest adaptation of one of the greatest fantasy tales ever told is in good hands. Check out the trailer below. Have a spare change of pants ready.
