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.

New Regency has picked up The Sword, a modern samurai tale adapted from Stephen Hunter’s novel, “The 47th Samurai.”  Screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen (The Fifth Element) has been tapped to pen the adaptation.  Kamen, noted for his co-writing efforts with Luc Besson, will adapt the 2008 novel which centers on retired Marine, Bob Lee Swagger.  (Another of the Swagger-centric novels, “Point of Impact,” was adapted for the Mark Wahlberg film, Shooter.)  In the novel, Swagger is tasked with finding a sword won by his father during the battle of Iwo Jima, only to find out that it’s a priceless artifact desired by legions of unsavory characters.  With Kamen on board, expect more action than you can swing a sword at.  Hit the jump for more on The Sword.

The dwarf roll-out from Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit continues, as today we get our first look at the dwarves Bofur (James Nesbitt), Bombur (Stephen Hunter), and Bifur (William Kircher). This latest image comes on the heels of Jackson unveiling his Hobbit dwarves piecemeal, starting with Nori, Dori, and Ori, then Oin and Gloin, and yesterday we were introduced to Fili and Kili. While all the previous sets have been brothers, Bifur is simply Bofur and Bombur’s cousin, so naturally he’s an outcast marked by a severe lack of affection.

Hit the jump to see Bofur, Bombur, and Bifur, and learn a little about their background. The Hobbit stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee 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.

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.

Martin Freeman is officially Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit.  For a second there, it looked like he would miss out due to prior commitments.  Then he was the frontrunner.  As recently as last week, he was in negotiations for the role.  But once Warner Bros. puts it in a press release, it’s official.  Can’t wait to see him in the role, assuming the film eludes derailment.

Director Peter Jackson has recruited eight more members to play various dwarves:

• Richard Armitage (MI-5) as Thorin Oakenshield
• Aidan Turner (Being Human) as Kili
• Rob Kazinsky (EastEnders) Fili
• Graham McTavish (Secretariat) as Dwalin
• John Callen (Power Rangers Jungle Fury) as Oin
• Stephen Hunter (All Saints) as Bombur
• Mark Hadlow (King Kong) as Dori
• Peter Hambleton (The Strip) as Gloin

Hit the jump for a list of other actors under consideration, plus the official casting announcement, including quotes from Jackson about why he chose each actor.