Middle Earth is stomping with excitement and clamoring with well-clapped hands this morning, as the trailer for “The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey” arrives online.

As part of Tolkien week, the trailer for what’s undoubtedly going to be the biggest movie of the upcoming festive season has been unveiled – and it’s delicious!

Like the original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the Peter Jackson-directed film features a bevy of familiar faces including Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Sir Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood and, of course, Andy Serkis as Gollum.

The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

The film is released in Australian cinemas on Boxing Day.