Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy is about to get its Two Towers. 

The middle act of the director’s new series dropped its latest trailer this morning, teasing all of the action and intrigue that’s on tap for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Watch it below, then scan down for an in-depth analysis of what’s to come. 
 


Smaug, for those who haven’t read J.R.R. Tolkien’s source novel, is a massive, greedy dragon who lords over the Lonely Mountain and all of its treasures. The Hobbit tells the story of a band of dwarves – and one brave hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) – who embark on a journey to the mountain to lay waste to the dragon and reclaim their land. 
 
The trailer suggests that a good deal of that battle will occur in Jackson’s second chapter. We get throwbacks to Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy (Hi, Legolas!), and the introduction of new characters like the warrior Tauriel (played by Lost star Evangeline Lilly). 
 
And we get the long-awaited Sherlock reunion, seeing as how Smaug is voiced by Freeman’s Sherlock costar Benedict Cumberbatch!
 
But the clip sells pretty much exactly what we would expect from a Jackson-led Middle-earth adventure at this point. There’s intense action set against vast, sprawling, mythical landscapes. There’s unparalleled special effects work, particularly when it comes to the creation of Smaug. There’s Sir Ian McKellen, relishing every line of Tolkien dialogue as Gandalf. And there’s a ring. A precious ring. 
 
Jackson will present The Desolation of Smaug in 48 fps, a move that produced controversy when the first Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opened in theaters. Will more audiences be accustomed to the unique look of the presentation this time out? Will they choose to see the new Hobbit film in 3D? In IMAX? 
 
Your choices will be plentiful. Bottom line: be in a theater on December 13, when Jackson’s journey to the Lonely Mountain continues. 
 
 

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