Well, the long wait is over. Peter Jackson and his team brought much Hobbit goodness to San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H today, and blew everyone’s minds.
To say the event zoomed past at an overwhelming pace would be a massive understatement. We’re digesting everything seen and said, and will continue to update as we work through the visuals.
In the meantime, please read on for TORn staffer Mr Cere’s insta-summary of what was shown and said! And, warning folks, if you’re avoiding the details of the teaser trailer because you’d like to see it yourself first … there are spoilers below!
THE PANEL:
In attendance: Peter, Phillippa, Benedict, Cate, Orlando, Evangeline, Luke, Lee, Graham, Elijah, Andy
Welcomed on stage by Stephen Colbert who spent a fair bit of time talking about himself and telling how great he is at trivia.
Lots of talk about lots of things.
Warner Bros. not only featured the screen behind the actors but unveiled for the first time wrap-around screens that circled half the room. Displayed there were the now familiar banner-style promos.
THE TEASER TRAILER:
This was all about tone and set up. It reveals the conflicts and the sides of the conflict.
THE EMOTIONAL HIGHLIGHT
Bard: “Will you have peace or will you have war?” He is pleading with Thorin at this point, clearly trying to broker peace. Earlier shots show Legolas and Thranduil taking in the ruin and death wrought by the dragon. (Perhaps in flashback?)
THORIN: Fully in King’s gear says with great emotion: “I will have WAR”
The trailer also features “home is behind” as sung by none other than Billy Boyd and to great effect.
Colbert was introduced and then he introduced a segment of bloopers that transitioned into meaningful moments. This is WB CLEARLY putting the stamp of 6-movies as one all together. Then out comes the cast and director and writer.
TEASER TRAILER BIG PICTURE
Big bass, sliding logos in a new way and then Smaug sweeps through Lake Town at great speed, flying above it like a jetliner buzzing a tower but shooting hot, bright flame down the street as he goes. A real inferno.
Bilbo is sitting in sadness remember and saying others will remember. The Good. The Bad. Who survived. Who did not. Bilbo is our storyteller and the movie MIGHT be told in flashback.
We see an ice chariot. I suppose that was Gandalf but I was completely distracted by the vehicle and trying to figure out who is in pursuit. Galadriel kisses Gandalf (I am told, missed it)
Bard steps out in the midst of an Elven army who immediately part for him. He is clearly in charge of an Elf army, perhaps ordered by Thranduil. Bard is a major player in the film.
Scenes of lots of faces that we need to be reminded are in great peril, not many of them dwarves. and then we get to Bard trying to win over Thorin.
Thorin says, “I WILL HAVE WAR!” He is the King.
Then he says, perhaps to the dwarves but perhaps to Bilbo and perhaps audio from a battle and placed instead in the film:
“Will you follow me one last time?”
Then we get the big tease of promised action and tension.
It certainly teases.
We’ll be back soon with more!
Join the fan reaction by visiting the Barliman’s chat or heading to our message boards.
And if you were there yourself (lucky you!), drop us an e-mail at spymaster@theoenring.net with your thoughts and reactions!