Whatever your thoughts are on Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy when compared to the director’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, you certainly can’t fault him for casting. This new trilogy, which concludes in December with The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies, has brought back Ian McKellen as the great wizard Gandalf and Orlando Bloom as archer Legolas, while starring Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, Benedict Cumberbatch as the dragon Smaug and Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman, among many, many others. Now, we’ve got a new image from the trilogy topper, highlighting McKellen and Evans as they gaze, awe-struck, off-screen at what I can only presume is The Hobbit‘s collective worldwide box office haul.
Granted, the shot isn’t the most revealing, but it’s a nice reminder that this movie is on its way. So much attention has been paid to the Oscar contenders like Unbroken and Exodus: Gods and Kings that it’s refreshing to know December isn’t solely going to consist of those awards hopefuls.
The official synopsis for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, reads as follows:
“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.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens December 17th. In addition to the aforementioned actors, it stars Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee and Hugo Weaving. It also stars John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O’Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt and Aidan Turner.
