Let’s face it, everyone: Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy is just not that good. It’s overlong and over-ambitious, turning a nice adventure story into a three-part epic with characters that Tolkien never invented, and battle scenes he never wrote. Still, for all of that, there is one very bright spot in the midst of all the darkness: Ian McKellan’s Gandalf. That bearded wizard has been with us since the first Lord of the Rings came out eons ago, and he’s managed to elevate every turgid scene in two Hobbit movies with his presence. As we draw close to the release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, we can at least expect some quality Gandalf action.
In a new character poster for the upcoming final installment, we get to see the character in all his wizard-y glory, as a concerned and battle-hardened sage getting ready to whip some of those dwarves into shape. Did any actor ever look so badass in a big beard and scraggly grey hair as Ian McKellan does as Gandalf? I don’t think so.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies closes out the trilogy with the final confrontation between dwarves, dragon, and orcs. Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) has become obsessed with his recovered treasure, ignoring the growing danger as the dragon Smaug threatens to return to wreak havoc once more. Meanwhile, the armies of Sauron are amassing, prepared to descend on the Lonely Mountain. Dwarves, elves, and men will have to band together “as the future of Middle Earth hangs in the balance.”
Despite the fact that the future of Middle Earth is always hanging in the balance, I suppose that it’s as good an ending to the story as any. At least there is some element of Tolkien’s book here, but it will still probably be a lot bigger, noisier, and more epic than the writer ever intended.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies premieres on December 17. You can check out the latest Gandalf character poster below.
