This Saturday, anticipated threequel The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will go to Comic-Con with its own panel – but ahead of that event, Warner Bros. has revealed the first official poster for the trilogy topper, an impressive look at the almighty dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch)… and Bard (Luke Evans), the lone bowman standing between the fire-breather and all of Lake-Town.
Though I’ve been less than satisfied with the first two installments in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, this final film looks like a suitably epic finale for it – and the title indicates that we’ll be witnessing a massive battle that rocks all of Middle Earth and sets the stage for the events of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. There’s no denying that, however the film holds together, it’s going to be filled with some truly amazing action sequences.
Here’s the official synopsis for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which opens December 17th:
“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.
