When Peter Jackson first agreed to return to Middle Earth for The Hobbit after Guillermo Del Toro had backed out, it was envisioned as merely a two-parter. Already that was a bit of a stretch considering the thin nature of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, and yet somehow Jackson found a way to get three massive movies out of it. With the third and "final" film (I'll believe it when I don't see any more) The Battle of the Five Armies coming in just a few weeks, a new trailer gives us one more advanced look at what will probably be another massive 3-hour+ spectacle.
This trailer focuses heavily on the choices made by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) as he tries to reclaim the dwarf homeland from the dragon Smaug. It's just one of a few storylines Jackson has to juggle, as we also see the emergence of Sauron and glimpses of the massive "battle of the five armies" that follows. So yeah, you might want to pack a lunch for this one.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens December 17th. Check out the trailer and synopsis below.
SYNOPSIS: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.
Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo's frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain.
As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide - unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.
