Expansive Hobbit trailer introduces riddle game and choosing your adventure

For those who don’t obsessively follow all things LOTR (Lord of the Rings for those wildly out of the trending loop), last week was the observance of Tolkien Week and Hobbit Day, aka Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’ mutual birthday, which is September 22nd (of course). In honor of this momentous fan occasion, Warner Bros. unveiled a new trailer for Peter Jackson’s adaptation, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

An Unexpected Journey is the first leg of the planned trilogy (though, at this rate we may hear of a fourth soon enough) and devotees of the epic Middle-earth fantasy novels will have plenty to twiddle their fingers over. The cinematography and atmosphere stays remarkably true to Jackson’s first Lord of the Rings trilogy in this more in-depth trailer.  Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) timidly begins his adventure to the Lonely Mountain after Gandalf the Grey (played again by Ian McKellen) enlists him as the 14th member of a gaggling gang of 13 dwarves. We also get a chance to glimpse the usual Tolkien creatures (evil goblins, giant spiders, wood elves…), dangers, and mishaps along the way.

There is also a scene where Gandalf consults Galadriel, co-ruler of Lothlorien, played again by Cate Blanchett. It should be noted, that yes, Galadriel doesn’t actually appear in the novel, but Jackson used some artistic liberty and brought her back for some continuity between trilogies. In their conversation, Gandalf reveals that perhaps he has just brought Bilbo along because he is scared, and the little hobbit gives him courage. How darling. We are also reintroduced to Gollum (portrayed brilliantly once again by Andy Serkis) and are allowed a peak into the famed Riddle Game which segues us into the eventual culmination where Biblo possesses the Ring.

Watch the new trailer below. And for all those insatiable Tolkienites, The Hobbit’s website now lets you create your own trailer with alternate endings. They know you all too well.