Peter Jackson returns us to Middle-earth in a few months’ time, bringing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to the big screen in the first of a new trilogy.
We’ve seen some brilliant things from the film recently – a fantastic new full-length trailer, and most recently a dwarf-filled new poster – and now Warner Bros. have released a new character banner, giving us a look at Gandalf, Bilbo, and the company of dwarves.
“The Hobbit follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the 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 Oakensheild. 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.”
Martin Freeman stars as the young Bilbo Baggins, and joining him is a fantastic cast, headed up by Andy Serkis, Stephen Fry, Hugo Weaving, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Ian Holm, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Sylvester McCoy, and Christopher Lee.
Much like the excellent scroll of artwork we saw back in the summer, the image is rather enormous, so you’ll have to click through to see it in its full size.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will begin the trilogy this coming 14th December in regular and IMAX 3D, and will be followed by The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on 13th December, 2013, and finally The Hobbit: There and Back Again on 18th July, 2014. For now, here’s the great new character banner, which you can click through to enlarge and see in all its detail. Enjoy.
