His unexpected journey has taken Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf buddies from bucolic Hobbiton and through the Misty Mountains. And over the course of the three-hour movie, it almost felt like we were there for Every. Single. Step. Now Peter Jackson appears poised to ramp up the action and kick things into a higher gear. Or at least that’s the promise in the new trailer for “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.”
The second chapter in the three-part Middle-earth epic has been flying under the radar for the better part of the year with a notable non-presence at San Diego Comic-Con and no new footage revealed for several months. But that all changed today with a burst of dragon fire to remind you that Smaug is one badass reptile. And he’s not the only peril facing our intrepid band.
The new trailer, like its predecessor, makes for a tantalizing teaser of what’s to come, offering only brief flashes of the film’s sprawling set pieces and key plot points. But what flashes they are! Here are eight moments from the trailer that have us rarin’ for another trek to Lonely Mountain.
1. Smaug Speaks.
We see even less of him than we did in the previous trailer, but at last we get to hear the voice of the mighty dragon. Admittedly, he sounds a lot like Benedict Cumberbatch (who voices the drake) with a sore throat, but hearing him utter the classic Smaug line “Thief!” is pure gold for fans. Oh yeah, he also breathes a mighty ball of fire.
2. Legolas in Action.
Remember this guy? In true elven fashion, Orlando Bloom looks like he hasn’t aged a day since his turn in “The Lord of the Rings” (the first installment of which was 12 years ago, if you can believe that). Bloom gets a couple of hero’s close-ups in the trailer (and something of a colleague/love interest, played by Evangeline Lilly). We also get to see him in action — and he’s still aces with that bow. Speaking of being good with a bow …
