The first clip and a large batch of high-resolution images from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey have been released.  The clip is quite nice, as it features Ian McKellan’s Gandalf entrusting Martin Freeman’s Bilbo with a very familiar-looking sword.  We’ve seen plenty of money shots in the film’s trailers and TV spots, but this clip highlights one of the softer moments of the film and brings to mind the earnestness that worked so well in The Lord of the Rings.  The new images are also a swell treat for fans, as we’re given a first look at Christopher Lee back as Saruman alongside the angelic Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, as well as The Goblin King and some seriously nasty-looking trolls.

Hit the jump to check out the clip and images.  The film also stars Richard Armitage, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, James Nesbitt, William Kircher, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown and Stephen Hunter.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens December 14th.

With Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey releasing in just a couple of months (squee!), you can expect the marketing machine to begin steamrolling audiences starting…now!  Just yesterday we brought you this fantastic Dwarf-centric poster for the film.  Today, we stick with the Dwarves but instead of stacking them together unceremoniously, this new banner poster gives each of them their fair share of elbow room.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, James Nesbitt, William Kircher, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown and Stephen Hunter and opens December 14th, 2012.  Hit the jump to check out the banner poster.

A new dwarf-centric poster for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has been released.  We recently saw a new poster for the film that featured Martin Freeman’s Bilbo in a familiar pose, and this one-sheet gives us a look at all of Bilbo’s dwarven companions that accompany him on the titular trek.  It’s a fun look at all the characters, and I think it gives onlookers a sense of the varied characteristics of the dwarves.

Hit the jump to take a closer look.  Directed by Peter Jackson, the film also stars Ian McKellen, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow, Graham McTavish, Dean Ogorman, Peter Hambleton, Aidan Turner, Jed Brophy, John Callen, Adam Brown, Ken Stott, William Kircher, Andy Serkis, and Richard Armitage.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens in 3D on December 14th.

A new trailer for director Peter Jackson‘s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has been released.  This trailer shines an interesting light on the conundrum of the The Hobbit.  It has to look even bigger than what came before, but what came before what a quest to save the entire world.  The new trailer breaks down the plot, which is about the dwarfs reclaiming their homeland.  So the stakes are smaller, but the adventure is somehow bigger.  Putting that conflict aside, the trailer still makes the movie look like a fun time, and perhaps the best thing about The Hobbit is that we’ll get to return to Middle-Earth.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow, Graham McTavish, Dean Ogorman, Peter Hambleton, Aidan Turner, Jed Brophy, John Callen, Adam Brown, Ken Stott, William Kircher, Andy Serkis, and Richard Armitage.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens in 3D on December 14th. [Update: We've embedded all four alternate endings to the trailer after the jump.]

As we previously reported, a new trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is set to debut on Wednesday as part of a “Tolkien Week” celebration.  But that won’t be the only part of the celebration.  Today, Warner Bros. has released new images from the film along with character portraits.  A few of the images were previously released, but most are new, and you can check them out after the jump.

The film stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow, Graham McTavish, Dean Ogorman, Peter Hambleton, Aidan Turner, Jed Brophy, John Callen, Adam Brown, Ken Stott, William Kircher, and Richard Armitage.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens December 14th.

One Day follows the progression of one couple from their first meeting in 1988 through their much-changed lives twenty years later. The film, which is based on the novel by David Nicholls (who also wrote the script), gets along by peeking in on this couple on the same day each year. Emma Morley (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) meet on July 15 on their graduation from university. The two decide to remain friends rather than pursue romantic interests, and the film takes off from there. Some years are given more attention than others as the film strings through the saga of a couple that never quite gets it all right. Hit the jump for our review of One Day on DVD.

Five clips from Lone Scherfig’s One Day have gone online.  The film tracks one day (July 15th) over twenty years in the relationship between Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess).  I assumed from the trailers that Emma and Dexter only meet for one day every year, but that’s not what happens at all.  The day is a window into their lives and showing how much they both change, come together, and grow apart over the course of two decades.  If you have a friend you’re close to but rarely see or hear from, you’ll want to give them a call after the movie.  Look out for my review of the film next week.

Hit the jump to check out the clips.  One Day opens August 19th.

Eventually, The Hobbit will run out of dwarves.  There are only 13 that accompany Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) on the Quest of Erebor and we’ve already seen ten of them: Nori, Dori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Fili, Kili, Bofur, Bombur, and Bifur.  Now we’ve got an image of two more: Balin (Ken Stott) and Dwalin (Graham McTavish).  You may recall that in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Gimli expected that his cousin Balin would give the Fellowship a royal welcome.  That didn’t quite happen as Balin turned out to be murdered by goblins.  To add insult to injury, his tomb was smashed by a cave troll.  But since The Hobbit is a prequel, Balin and his brother Dwalin are both very much alive.

Hit the jump to check out the image and to learn more about Balin and Dwalin.  The Hobbit also stars Ian McKellen, James Nesbitt, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, and Andy Serkis.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released on December 14, 2012.  The Hobbit: There and Back Again will hit theaters on December 13, 2013.  Both movies will be in 3D.

On May 30, 2010, we reported that director Guillermo del Toro was leaving The Hobbit because there was no start date in site.  On March 21st, 2011—295 days later—filming on The Hobbit is set to begin with Peter Jackson now at the helm.  The financial mess that kept the film from going in front of cameras has been abated and the movie has a full cast lined up and ready to shoot what will be a two-part film in 3D.  Part 1 of The Hobbit is set for December 2012 and Part 2 is slated for December 2013.  The One Ring reports that “[March 21st] has been chosen following practical considerations of the filming schedule requirements, actor availability and the NZ seasons. Shooting will take place at Stone Street Studios in Miramar and on location around New Zealand.

Hit the jump for a synopsis of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel.  The Hobbit stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, James Nesbitt, Aidan Turner, Jed Brophy, Cate Blanchett, Andy Serkis, Mikael Persbrant, Sylvester McCoy, and Elijah Wood.

Focus Features has released the first images from director Cary Fukunaga’s (Sin Nombre) Jane Eyre and Lone Scherfig’s (An Education) One Day.  Jane Eyre is based on Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel and it stars Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Holliday Grainger, Sally Hawkins, Tamzin Merchant, Imogen Poots, and Judi Dench.  One Day is adapted from the internationally praised bestselling novel by David Nicholls and it stars Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess as two people who meet on the night of their college graduation (July 15th, 1988).  “For the next two decades, every July 15th reveals to us how [they] are faring, as their friendship ebbs and flows with the passing of the years.”

Hit the jump for the images and the full synopses.

Cate Blanchett, Ken Stott (Charlie Wilson’s War), Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who), and Mikael Persbrandt (Everlasting Moments) have joined the cast of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit.  Blanchett will reprise her role as Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien. Stott will play Dwarf Lord Balin, McCoy will play wizard Radagast the Brown, and Swedish actor Persbrandt will play shape-shifter Beorn.

Also joining the cast are actors Ryan Gage (Outlaw) as Drogo Baggins, and Jed Brophy (District 9) and William Kircher (Legend of the Seeker) as the dwarfs Nori and Bifur, respectively.  These actors will join Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, Rob Kazinsky, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Adam Brown, and James Nesbitt.  Hit the jump for the press release.  The Hobbit will be released in 3D in December 2012 and December 2013.