The Hobbit Trailer

[KatieHal]

First trailer!!

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/thehobbit/

I'm so excited--I already want to go watch the trilogy again right now! 

[Cez]

AHHHHHHHH I couldn't stop smiling through the whole trailer. So many nods to the trilogy. I want to cry!!

[wilco64256]

Oh my word this trailer is freaking amazing.  But it's not out til next December, AUGH!!!

[Blackthorne]

Yes.

Just.... yes.


Bt

[MusicallyInspired]

I wish they wouldn't put so many nods. They should make something that stands on its own. As it stands the studio probably forced them to include all those cameos. Hope it doesn't change things too much. But whatever, I'll enjoy it just the same.

[Numbers]

I'm just fine with the cameos, as long as there aren't so many that it detracts from the story.  It looks like they've nailed the mood and atmosphere of the LotR movies pretty accurately.  Not to mention the dwarves look pretty danged awesome--certainly cooler than they were in that old Hobbit cartoon.

[Lambonius]

I wish they wouldn't put so many nods. They should make something that stands on its own. As it stands the studio probably forced them to include all those cameos. Hope it doesn't change things too much. But whatever, I'll enjoy it just the same.

Have you watched any of the production diaries Peter Jackson has posted over the last year?  I'm pretty sure that a) any cameos were wanted by Jackson and put in as fan service (I've never heard of a case of a studio requesting cameos before like that,) and b) they are purposefully showing us a bunch of the nods together because this is the first trailer, and they are trying to spark interest from people who loved the film trilogy.  Don't be so pessimistic.    It seems to have just as much care and love put into it as the first films, and by the same group of talented people that made the first trilogy so amazing.

Also, I don't think we have to worry about too many changes here.  Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy is probably the single most faithful novel-to-film adaptation that has ever been done.  And with the "unfilmable" novel trilogy, no less.  Sure there were some changes, but I would argue that most actually IMPROVED the story and its pacing.  He's going to own this film--I have no doubt about that.

[Blackthorne]

Yeah, as Lambo said - the cameos are there to connect this film to the previous ones.  Remember, not everyone is as uber-geeky as most of us, and their LoTR and Hobbit Knowledge are limited.

The movie looks really great to me.  Love the song the Dwarves sing.


Bt

[Enchantermon]

SO excited!

[MusicallyInspired]

Oh, I'm not pessimistic. Not by any means.

I really liked the dwarves' song. Very reminiscent of my favourite rendition.

[drusain]

It's definitely the one I remember most from reading in my childhood. Can't wait to see how they direct Riddles in the Dark and the Battle 0f Five Armies 

[Lambonius]

I'm curious how they will balance the whimsy of the Hobbit book with the darker tone already established by the LOTR trilogy (I know the LOTR books are also darker and denser, too.)  The Hobbit was originally aimed at a child audience.

[snabbott]

I'm curious how they will balance the whimsy of the Hobbit book with the darker tone already established by the LOTR trilogy (I know the LOTR books are also darker and denser, too.)  The Hobbit was originally aimed at a child audience.

I was wondering the same thing. In the Hobbit, the Ring is pretty much a neat trinket that makes you invisble. The only hint that it is more than that is Gollum's behavior - but it's not clear that the two are linked until the LOTR books. I have no doubt that Peter Jackson et al will do it justice, though.

[drusain]

Another part of the challenge is that a lot of The Hobbit was introductory material, like meeting the elves in Rivendell and learning their culture and introducing the dwarves as stubborn mountain-dwellers etc but we were already exposed to that in the trilogy movies.

There will be the spiders and orcs, but we already saw the massive Shelob and orc armies in the trilogy; how do you build on that? The stakes are lower in this story too since there's a massive difference between killing Smaug and getting treasure compared to saving Middle Earth from a dark lord who wants to ruin the world. But I think that's okay. It could be basically the CGI version of the 1977 animated movie with less singing and more action and it would still be my favorite movie of the year.

[wilco64256]

It's going to be freaking awesome.

That is all.

[snabbott]

It's going to be freaking awesome.

That is all.

Yes.

There will be the spiders and orcs, but we already saw the massive Shelob and orc armies in the trilogy; how do you build on that? The stakes are lower in this story too since there's a massive difference between killing Smaug and getting treasure compared to saving Middle Earth from a dark lord who wants to ruin the world.

I don't think they should try to build on it - the Hobbit should have a lighter tone than LotR. It doesn't have to be massively epic to be great!

[Numbers]

I've been wondering about the "cutesy" aspect of The Hobbit too.  Unlike in LotR, the various creatures encountered all speak--the trolls, the goblins, the spiders, etc.  What's more, none of them (barring Smaug) are particularly bright.  The troll and spider scenes could have been scary, but because you hear the trolls and spiders arguing over inconsequential things with each other, they end up being mostly comical in nature.

Of course, I'm not doubting Peter Jackson's talent.  If he successfully filmed LotR, he can successfully film The Hobbit.

EDIT:  Now that I think about it, I imagine that the trolls will be pretty goofy like some of the orcs were, but the spider scene will probably be pretty scary...like Shelob was.