A compilation of spoilers for the Hobbit footage shown at Comic-con follow. Each account gives a slightly different take on the scenes.

Update 7/17/12: Added Quint’s report revealing a few extra details, and a report from Cineplex.com which adds just a little more description to the Bag End scene.

• By Emma Badame of Cineplex.com (read the full article here).

- FIRST SCENE: After a short montage of clips (noticeably set to the score from The Last of the Mohicans - a classic!), we focus in on a scene in the Shire and in Bag End.  Gathered around a table are 13 dwarves, including their leader Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), and Gandalf. They’re in the middle of debating how best to retrieve their stolen treasure from the dragon Smaug. The biggest problem? The gate is sealed and so there’s no way into the mountain. Gandalf admits that’s not entirely true, while pulling out a key entrusted to him for safekeeping by Oakenshield’s father. But how to find the door? The dwarf passages are invisible and treacherous. “The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage,” says Gandalf. “But if you’re careful and clever, I believe it can be done.”

So it’s agreed that they need a thief and Bilbo, silent until now, steps forward and agrees that whoever it is, they should be an expert. The dwarves think he means himself, but Bilbo is quick to assure them he’s never stolen anything in his life. The dwarves agree he’s ill-suited to the job, after all it’s no place for folk who can’t fight for themselves. Bilbo nods in wholehearted agreement. Gandalf does not agree. Pulling himself up to his full height, he thunders: “If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is.” Now that he has everyone’s undivided attention, he points out (in his normal voice) that a Hobbit would be perfect for the job – they’re light on their feet, and the dragon Smaug won’t be familiar with their scent, unlike dwarves. “There is a lot more to him than appearances suggest,” Gandalf advises, and more in him than even Bilbo himself realises. “You must trust me on this.”

The dwarves relent and pass Bilbo their standard contract required to join them on their quest. As Bilbo peruses the hilariously gruesome contract, Thorin relays to Gandalf that he cannot be guarantee the Hobbit’s safety or be responsible for his fate. Gandalf agrees. The dwarf contract itself? Well it includes a laundry list of clauses mentioning the length of the journey, remuneration, possible funeral arrangements and the indemnification of the dwarves should any “laceration, evisceration, and incineration” occur to anyone undertaking the unexpected journey. Bilbo considers his possible fate for moment before fainting dead away.

- MONTAGE: Another grouping of clips including a sequence with Gandalf walking across a bridge into a less than inviting fortress. “What if it’s a trap?” wonders a nearby dwarf. “Turn around and do not come back. It’s undoubtedly a trap,” Gandalf yells back, walking forward with sword and staff drawn. Cut to Gandalf in series of dark passages, with a monster chasing after him.

- SECOND SCENE: Bilbo encounters Gollum (Andy Serkis) in the goblin tunnels. Bilbo, lost and terrified of the strange creature, holds him off with his sword. “Keep off! keep off! I’ll use this if I have to!” He simply wants to know the way out of the tunnels. “I want to get unlost as soon as possible.” Cue Gollum (and his other half Smeagol) debating what to do with this lost, juicy Hobbit from the Shire. “We know the safe path in the dark. Shut up! We wasn’t talking to you.” Gollum asks if Bilbo likes games and asks him a riddle: “What has roots that nobody sees, is taller than trees, and up up up it goes, and yet never grows?” Bilbo ponders briefly before answering: “The mountain.” Delighted but perplexed, Gollum/Smeagol argue over whether they should play more games with the Hobbit or just finish him off. Bilbo realises his best chance of escape is to play along with Gollum’s game of words and riddles. The wager? If he wins, Gollum will show him the way out. If he loses, “we eats it whole.” Bilbo, surprisingly nonplussed (drew a big laugh from the fans), sheathes his sword and declares it “fair enough!”

- THIRD SCENE: The ethereally beautiful Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) wants to know why Gandalf the Grey choose “the halfling” for this most difficult of journeys. Unlike fellow wizard Saruman who believes in power above all, Gandalf believes “it is the small things, every act of normal folk that keeps the darkness of at bay — simple acts of kindness and love.” He continues: “Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid, and he gives me courage.” Galadriel steps forward and takes ahold of Gandalf’s hand, saying that if has ever any need of her, he only has to ask and she will be there. It’s quite a touching and emotional moment that hints at something deeper between the two, particularly on the part of the wizard.

- FINAL SCENE: Bilbo finds the Ring and, curious, picks it up. Cut to a scene between the Hobbit and Gandalf, where the wizard is concerned that his friend has changed, that he is not the same Hobbit who left The Shire. Bilbo smiles and looks as if he might confess the reason. “I was going to tell you. I found something…” says Bilbo, while grasping at his jacket pocket, his fingers aching to pull out his new treasure but fighting himself at the same time. ”What did you find?” asks Gandalf twice, with some trepidation and anxiety. A pause…and a cop-out as Bilbo moves his hand away from his pocket. “My courage.” Gandalf, clearly both relived and still concerned, says simply, “Good. Well, that’s good. You’ll need it.”

The crowd went wild over every scene, particularly the game of riddles between Bilbo and Gollum – the crowd clearly has a soft spot for Serkis and his familiar creature. There was no doubt that they also lapped up the performances from newcomers Freeman and Armitage, particularly jumping on the lighter touches that Freeman brings to the much younger Bilbo. And in that last scene, Freeman really nails the mix of emotions and warring voices inside the changing Hobbit, while McKellan continues to mine every nuance available in Gandalf the Grey.Jackson stated earlier this week, in an interview with the L.A. Time’s Hero Complex, that Freeman hits it out of the park as Bilbo…and the crowd seemed to be leaning in a similar direction. I’m inclined to agree. Fabulous stuff.

---

• By Quint of Aintitcool.com (read the full article here):

Unlike the technology focused Cinemacon footage presentation, this one was all about the footage. Shown in 24fps 2D the content was the centerpiece. Jackson chose long sequences to anchor the footage instead of a typical quickly cut sizzle reel.

”The dragon, Smaug (pronounced Sm-Ow-g), has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look East to the mountain assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what’s rightfully ours or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?!?” says Thorin around Bilbo’s dinner table and then we get that full scene, which leads to Bilbo being hired as the burglar, much to his dismay.

This sequence is the “I cannot guarantee his safety,” bit from the trailer and it really seems to set up the character of the group, especially Bilbo who is eavesdropping the whole conversation doesn’t realize Gandalf’s about to pull him into the adventure.

When he realizes this he panics a little bit, but there is a side of him that wants to go. And then he’s handed the contract and bristles when he’s told it covers the usual stuff “out of pocket expenses, remuneration, funeral expenses.” He quickly looks through the long paper. Mumbling, “… company shall not be responsible for injuries resulting from lacerations, evisceration… incineration?!?”

James Nesbitt’s Bofur then excitedly starts talking about the dragon. “Think furnace with wings!” Bilbo’s head swims and he fights a faint… and loses.

The footage also gave us our first glimpses at two fresh characters. First being Radagast the Brown as played by Sylvester “I’m a Timelord” McCoy. We see him nursing a hedgehog back to life. He’s a ratty figure, long dark beard, side of his head covered in bird poop, big (but not pointy) hat and wooden staff. There was a second shot with him as he lifted his hat and let a few birds fly under it. He’s a great character and I can’t wait to see how he comes across in the film. I dare say from what I saw on location and in this bit of footage I believe he’ll be an audience favorite.

The next big chunk of a scene was Gollum and Bilbo meeting. What was interesting for me in this sequence was seeing how they divided up the scene between Gollum and Smeagol. Gollum wants to eat this hobbit, Smeagol seems overjoyed at having a bit of intelligent company. It’s Smeagol who wants to play the game of riddles and hearing Serkis back in the role is amazing. You forget just how much empathy he injects into Smeagol. I love that guy.

”If I win, you’ll show me the way out?” “(Smeagol to Bilbo) Yes! Yes! (Gollum to Smeagol) And if it loses, what then? (Smeagol to Gollum) If it loses, precious, then we eats it! (Smeagol to Bilbo, matter of factly) If Baggins loses we eats it whole.” Martin Freeman holds this moment, milking it for an appropriate amount of laughs before going “Fair enough” and sheathing Sting.

Probably the most emotional part of the footage was the scene between Gandalf and Galadriel in Rivendell that you see in the trailer. She’s asking him why he invited the Halfling to join the quest. “I don’t know,” he says. “Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. That is not what I have found. I have found that it is the small things, every day deeds from ordinary folk, that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid. He gives me courage.”

McKellen kills it in this scene, if I may be so bold. He shows why Gandalf the Grey is so much more of an interesting character than Gandalf the White. He’s admits his fear, shows vulnerability, but also shows the great power of love. It’s a beautifully written and performed scene and Cate Blanchett shows much grace by her comforting gesture, her brushing Gandalf’s hair out of his eyes. It’s the scene that got to the most out of any of the footage, no matter how cool it is to see Bilbo pick up the ring or the red-headed Tauriel (Evangeline Lily) slicing up some Orcs or Legolas doing a slide through the leaves in Mirkwood, aiming an elvish arrow at our dwarves, it’s the quiet moments of connection like the one between Gandalf and Galadriel that make this feel the most like Lord of the Rings to me.

One more thing to describe before getting to the panel info, another important aspect to this movie is Bilbo’s relationship with the ring and the hold it has over him.

Again, this is a small, character-driven moment between Gandalf and Bilbo. “You’ve changed, Bilbo Baggins. You’re not the same hobbit who left the Shire.” “I was going to tell you… I… found something in the goblin tunnels.” “Found what? What did you find?” Bilbo is fingering the ring in his pocket, finding it hard to tell this wizard who he trusts with his life what he clearly wants to tell him. Gandalf’s interest increases and Bilbo finally says, “My courage.” Which is both true and false at the same time. He did find his courage, but he can’t reveal to the wizard what that courage was born from. It’s an incredibly smart scene and very well played.

Gandalf finishes with “Good. You’ll need it” as we see bits of crazy fantasy threats, like orcs, goblins, a Stone Giant (literally a man-shaped mountain-sized figure) tossing a giant boulder at the fellowship of dwarves on a rainy mountain ridge and the trolls holding Bilbo upside down.

Huge reaction from the crowd, of course. I love being in the Hall when they really get into something. It’s like being at the Geek Superbowl.

---

• By Adam B. Vary of EW.com (read the full article here):

Footage Screened: We also saw the final day of production on both the second unit — directed by Andy Serkis — and the main unit, including a scene between Bilbo (Freeman) and Gandalf (McKellan) with this dialogue (which was seen, but not heard):

Gandalf: I need a horse!
Bilbo: Why? Where are you going?
Gandalf: In search of answers!

When the dispatch finished, Jackson took to the stage with a cameraphone in hand, shooting footage for an upcoming behind-the-scenes doc about The Hobbit‘s debut at Comic-Con. He introduced what turned out to be a whopping 12-and-a-half minute preview of both films of The Hobbit by noting that the music tracks were temp (and indeed, I picked up one cue from Last of the Mohicans), and that the effects shots weren’t entirely finished (though, boy, most of them looked like they were).

And then we were treated to four full scenes from the films, bracketed by quick montage-y looks at many of the more high action sequences.

Scene 1: Gandalf and the 13 dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), debate whether Bilbo should be allowed to join their quest to reclaim their treasure from Smaug, since it’s not clear if he is clever and sneaky enough to help them break into his secret lair. Eventually, Gandalf stands firm, and Bilbo reads over the “standard” contract to join their quest, which includes clauses noting that “laceration, evisceration, [and] incineration” are possible fates for him. Bilbo faints.

Scene 2: Bilbo meets Gollum (Andy Serkis), looking (slightly) younger than he did in The Lord of the Rings but still very much gripped by his Smeagol/Gollum split personality — they debate whether to eat Bilbo, or play word games with him. Bilbo realizes his best chance of escaping the goblin tunnels alive is to play along with Gollum, so he proposes a game of riddles. If he wins, Gollum helps him out. If he loses, says Gollum, “we eats it whole.”

Scene 3: Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) asks Gandalf why he brought “the halfling” on this most unexpected journey, prompting one of Gandalf’s soul-stirring speeches about how it’s “the small deeds by ordinary folk” that best hold evil at bay. It ends with what I perceived as quite a tender moment between Galadriel and Gandalf, hinting at an unspoken ache in Gandalf’s heart for the attentions of this celestial being standing before him.

Scene 4: We see Bilbo pick up the fateful One Ring, and then cut to a later scene where Bilbo almost confesses to Gandalf about the new item he’s picked up on his way. “I found something in the goblin tunnels,” says Bilbo.

“What did you find?” says Gandalf, clearly concerned.

“My courage.”

---

• By Eric Eisenberg of Cinemablend.com (read the full article here):

The first scene of the footage features all of the dwarfs convening in Bilbo’s house discussing whether or not they should make the trip to the Lonely Mountain to try and get the treasure that Smaug stole from their ancestors. Though there is some question, Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage) manages to get everyone to agree to go with a stirring speech. The problem is that he front gate is sealed, but that’s an issue that Gandalf (Ian McKellan) has an answer to. Out of his robes he pulls a key that he says previously belonged to Thorin’s father. The wizard gives Thorin the key and he stares at it deeply. A map is then brought out and they begin to strategize. They then get onto the subject of needing a burglar and all of the dwarfs turn to look at Bilbo (Martin Freeman), who is at first shocked by the comment and then defiantly says no. Some of the dwarfs chime in saying that they don’t believe Bilbo is the right man for the job either, but the room goes silent as Gandalf stands and bellows, controlling the entire room with his voice. He tells the dwarfs that Bilbo is indeed the man for the job and adds that while Smaug will recognize the smell of a dwarf, he won’t know the smell of a hobbit.

The dwarfs then begin to throw their support behind the little hobbit and given him a contract to sign. As Bilbo leaves the room, Thorin speaks softly to Gandalf saying, “I can’t guarantee his safety nor will I be responsible for his fate.” Bilbo starts going over the paperwork and while the first item on the list is nice – 1/14th of the profits from the mission – things get much worse from there as he reads about the potential laceration and incineration that may result from the trip. He begins to feel faint and Bofur (James Nesbitt) hops up to make things worse. As Bilbo starts to swoon, Bofur talks about being set on fire and being turned to ash, which promptly causes the hobbit to fall to the floor.

The next series of clips were short and gave the crowd an idea of the film’s scope. Kicking off with Gandalf riding a horse across a desert, the montage included shots of Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Christopher Lee as Saruman, and Stephen Fry as the mayor of Laketown. The footage also showed us Beorn’s house as well as a boat riding through icy waters.

And then we got to see another extended sequence. In a scene that wasn’t in the book, Gandalf is getting ready to enter some catacombs and is told by a bystander that it might be a trap. Gandalf tells his friend to leave as “it’s undoubtedly a trap.” We then see him running around the catacombs, his sword drawn, being chased by a mysterious enemy. As he turns a corner the mystery villain leaps and attacks.

And then came time for riddles in the dark. One of the most famous scenes from the book, Bilbo is stuck in a cave when he meets Smeagol (Andy Serkis). Bilbo has his sword, Sting, drawn and he waves it at the little monster, explaining that he wants to know how to get out of the cave. Smeagol then begins to talk to himself (as he has been known to do), leading Bilbo to become confused and say, “I don’t know what your game is.” This excites Smeagol, who gives Bilbo a riddle: “What has roots as nobody sees, Is taller than trees, Up, up it goes, And yet never grows?” The hero answers, “A mountain,” which is the correct answer. But that’s only the beginning. They set the rules so that if Bilbo wins he gets to leave, but if Smeagol wins then he gets to eat Bilbo whole, which the hobbit is none too pleased about.

The footage then cut to another scene not in the book, this one between Gandalf and Galadriel. She questions why the wizard chose the halfling for the mission and he explains that it’s the small things, the ordinary things, that have the power to keep the darkness at bay. She responds in Elvish, “If you should ever need my help, I will come.”

It then quickly cuts back to Smeagol’s cave where Bilbo discovers the One Ring, and then a confrontation between Bilbo and Gandalf. The wizard remarks that the hobbit has changed, to which the hobbit has an answer. “. “I was going to tell you,” he says as he begins to reach into his pocket. “I found something in the goblin tunnels.” He pauses and takes his fingers out of his pocket “…My courage.” Gandalf smiles and responds, “Good, that’s good, You’ll need it.”

It all came to a close with yet another montage, this one featuring all kinds of mythical creatures including trolls, giants, goblins, and a sled being pulled by massive rabbits. The footage concluded with a shot of Legolas (Orlando Bloom) pulling out an arrow and pointing it straight in Thorin’s face.

---

• From Charlie Jane Anders of io9.com (read the full article here):

The Dwarf Contract

So the first clip we saw took place in the Shire, during a meeting of a group of dwarves along with Gandalf, all sitting around a table with Bilbo standing in the doorway watching them. (First, we zoom in on Bilbo’s house, with a Gandalf voiceover saying, “Far to the East, over ranges, over rivers, beyond woodlands and westlands, lies a single solitary peak. Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold.”)

The dwarves are freaking out, because the dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years, and people are looking to the East — assessing, wondering, and weighing the risk. “Perhaps the vast wealth of our people lies unprotected,” says Thorin Oakenshield. So do the dwarves hang back, while others take what’s theirs? Or do they take it?

There’s just one problem: the front gate is sealed, and there’s no way into the mountain. Except, says Gandalf, that’s not entirely true. He has an ancient key, which was given to him for safekeeping, and he’s giving it back now. Where there’s a key, there must be a door — and runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls. But the dwarf passages, are invisible and impossible to find.

“The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage,” says Gandalf. “But if you’re careful and clever, I believe it can be done.”

Everyone agrees they need a burglar — and Bilbo says it needs to be an expert. Suddenly, the dwarves all think Bilbo said that he’s an expert — but he protests that he’s never stolen anything in his life. The dwarves all agree with him that he’s not really burglar material — the wild is no place for gentle folk who can’t fight or fend for themselves.

Then Gandalf does the Thunder Voice and turns incredibly dark: “If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is.” Everybody is startled and looks as though they’ve just been mind-controlled. Gandalf continues in a normal voice, saying that Hobbits are light on their feet, and the dragon Smaug is familiar with the scent of dwarves, but not so much the scent of Hobbits. “There is a lot more to him than appearances suggest,” says Gandalf — and Bilbo has a lot more in him than anybody realizes, including Bilbo himself. “You must trust me on this.”

So the dwarves agree, and give Bilbo the standard dwarf contract for going on an adventure — full of clauses in which Bilbo agrees to the terms of the adventure, including how long it’ll take. And funeral arrangements. And we glimpse Bilbo’s huge Hobbit feet for the first time! While Bilbo is reading the gruesome contract, the dwarves are muttering to Gandalf that they can’t guarantee Bilbo’s safety — and Gandalf agrees.

The dwarf contract gets more ridiculous — until Bilbo is indemnifying the dwarves for any laceration, evisceration or incineration he suffers from the dragon. “Oh aye, he’ll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye,” says one dwarf. A dragon is a “furnace with wings. Flash of light, searing pain, then you’re nothing more than a pile of ash.”

Bilbo seems fine for a second, then he faints.

Glimpses of Other Stuff

We saw a quick succession of snippets: Gandalf on his horse. Then Gandalf holding a great sword, which lights up the darkness. The whole company climbs an ornate staircase against a beautiful vista. Somebody is handling a strange-looking rodent. And then there’s a quick shot of Christopher Lee as the wizard Saruman!

There’s Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, looking amazingly shiny. Bilbo is holding a sword and looking at it. And there’s a trapdoor which is opened by a bearded figure who stamps his foot, causing the floor to open up and reveal treasure. Bilbo and the dwarves are riding on a boat through the river. A dwarf has birds landing in his hair, and then he puts his hat on over the birds. [this is likely Radagast -DJ]

Then there’s a sequence where Gandalf is walking into a misty landscape. “Wait,” says one dwarf [again probably Radagast], “What if it’s a trap?”

“Turn around and do not come back,” says Gandalf. “It’s undoubtedly a trap.” He walks forward, sword in one hand and staff in the other. Then he’s inside a maze of dark passages, with a monster hunting him. The monster scuttles around, and Gandalf runs . Gandalf gets his arm scraped, and clutches at it. And then the monster jumps out at him and pounces on him, and they stuggle together [probably Thrain -DJ].

Gollum and Bilbo

Gollum is in a cave full of riches. And he’s looking at Bilbo, who says he’s a Hobbit from the Shire.

“Is it soft? Is it juicy?” Gollum asks. Bilbo brandishes his sword. “Keep off! keep off! I’ll use this if I have to!” He just wants to know the way out of this cave, and he’ll be on his way. “I want to get unlost as soon as possible.”

And then Gollum starts arguing with himself — “We know the safe path in the dark. Shut up! We wasn’t talking to you.” Bilbo is confused and a bit taken aback by the creature arguing with himself — and Gollum asks if Bilbo likes games. Gollum asks a riddle:”What has roots that nobody sees, is taller than trees, and up up up it goes, and yet never grows?” “The mountain,” answers Bilbo.

Then Gollum is torn as to whether to play more riddles or just finish Bilbo off now.

So Bilbo makes an offer — he wants to play at riddles with Smeagol. Just the, er, two of them. And if he wins, Gollum will show him the way out of there. But if Bilbo loses? “We eats it. If Baggins loses, we eats him whole.” Bilbo frowns, but then puts his sword away. Fair enough!

Gandalf and Galadriel

Then we see an absolutely gorgeous scene of Gandalf talking to Galadriel. Why the Halfling? She asks.

“I do not know,” Gandalf answers. “Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that it is not what I’ve found. I’ve found it is the small things, every act of normal folk that keeps the darkness of at bay — simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid, and he gives me courage.”

Galadriel takes his hands and tells him not to be afraid — he is not alone. If he ever needs her help, she will come. She touches his face, then touches his hands again, then pulls away and vanishes. Gandalf is left alone by the sunset.

The Ring

Bilbo finds a certain ring. He looks at it, and picks it up, curiously.

Then we see Bilbo talking to Gandalf — who says that Bilbo has changed. He’s not the same Hobbit who left the Shire.

Bilbo smiles, sadly — Freeman really nails the weird mixture of emotions in this scene. “I was going to tell you.” He reaches for the ring in his pocket. “I found something in the Goblin tunnels.”

Found what? Gandalf asks.

Bilbo struggles, trying to pull the ring out of the pocket but not wanting to.

What did you find? Gandalf asks again.

“My courage,” says Bilbo. He takes his hand away

Gandalf looks concerned, but only says, “Good. Well, that’s good. You’ll need it.”

Then there are glimpses of sword-fighting against giants! Gandalf fighting a giant with his sword, and the giants with their massive rocky scary faces, throwing shit at everybody. Giants scowl at the camera. There’s a massive battle. And we see Galadriel looking lovely and ethereal.

And later, Legolas is aiming his bow and arrow at a dwarf, saying, “Do you think I won’t kill you, dwarf?”

Then more shots of giants laying waste to everything in sight, smashing and destroying. And then Gandalf puts his sword down in the ground, and light comes out of it!

Behind the Scenes

We also saw one of Peter Jackson’s trademark videoblogs, a video diary of the last days of filming on the Hobbit movies — including personalized greetings from all of the Dwarves to the Comic Con audience, from the movie’s set. And we glimpsed some pretty hilarious action, including a dwarf in a barrel being covered with real dead fish until they go over his head. “That was highly unpleasant,” the actor says after filming the scene — then sees the camera filming him, and fakes cheer: “I mean, it was lovely!”

Also, we saw the filming of a scene in a house, where everything is built huge so that the Dwarves and the one Hobbit look tiny against all this massive furniture.

We also saw some amazing shots of the filming in Laketown, with the houses on the water — and a bit where the buildings are on fire, and someone breaks down the door of a house, and a huge fireball comes flying out and throws him into the water. We also glimpsed the Master of Laketown — Stephen Fry! — who seemed very jolly and joked about checking out the Dwarves’ behinds. “I saw you shaking that ass,” says Fry in his plummy voice.

And we saw a few snippets of Bilbo in a room piled high with gold coins and jewelry. (“Oh, no, I’ve lost my wedding ring in there,” a crew member jokes.”) Jackson says that the dragon will be added, about a year and a half from now. And we see Freeman standing there, saying that dwarves are hard to catch, and so are burglars — and then he puts on a ring!

---

• By Maegwen of TORn (read the full article here):

The Hobbit showreel:

It opens with a sweeping shot of the green hills of the Shire, with a voiceover from Gandalf intoning “Far to the east lies…” Setting the scene of where they are going -– which is Bag End and the dwarves gathered around Bilbo’s table talking about the quest.

An imposing and grim Thorin Oakenshield heads the table: “Rumors have begun to spread,” he says, “The dragon Smaug has not been seen in many years… Perhaps the vast wealth of our people lies unprotected … perhaps it is time to take back Erebor!”

Gandalf produces the key “It was given to me by your father for safekeeping, it is yours now.”

Fili: “if there’s a key there must be a door!”

This leads in to a discussion of the map and what must be done to go after the long-lost treasure. Gandalf looks to Bilbo… “That is why we need a burglar.”

Martin Freeman is wonderful in this scene, playing a hobbit who is as yet oblivious of what is being designed for him. Even as Gandalf professes the need for a burglar, he agrees but doesn’t quite realize that what Gandalf means is HIM.

“He’s hardly burglar material” the dwarves observe as they regard him skeptically. Which Bilbo happily agrees to. Gandalf then rises to full height and in a deep voice, (much like in Fellowship of the Ring when he says commandingly: “I’m not trying to hurt you, I’m trying to help you”) he warns the dwarves that a burglar he isn’t, but a burglar he will be.

Because, he says, Smaug is well aware of the scent of dwarf. A Hobbit will be wholly unknown to him. Bilbo looks appropriately horrified.

Thorin and the others are extremely skeptical: “Very well, we’ll do it your way.”

As we saw in the trailer last fall, Thorin says: “I cannot guarantee his safety, nor will I be responsible for his fate.”

“Agreed,” replies Gandalf.

The reading of the contract is hilarious, as Bilbo goes over the terms and the various dwarves jump to reassure him that it will be painless once he’s turned ash. James Nesbitt, as Bofur, is superbly funny.

Then Bilbo faints. Thunk.

A series of quick shots of Radagast follow

Radagast is full-bearded, rough-looking, with a big hat… which we later see conceals a number of birds. He’s cuddling a hedgehog and later on we see him racing through the forest on the infamous “bunnysled”.

There’s a quick look at Laketown, which looks amazing. Large boats, almost like pontoons, navigating their way through a warren of canals. We also see the Master of Laketown, played by Stephen Fry.

A brief moment of Gandalf speaking to Radagast: “Turn around and do not come back.”

Radagast responds, “what if it’s a trap?”

Gandalf replies, “It is undoubtedly a trap.”

Radagast does come across as very gentle, as we heard out of Cinema-Con reports.

We follow Gandalf into what could only be Dol Guldur. Looking terrified, he races through narrow passages, as we see glimpses of something ominous racing around either away or following him. Very tight quarters, then suddenly a person we assume to be Thrain leaps out and attacks him.

The riddle game…

Cut away to Bilbo and Gollum meeting in the goblin caves. Bilbo is clumsily waving Sting at Gollum, trying to get him to go away.

“I need to get un-lost a soon as possible.” Bilbo tells Gollum. “I don’t know what your game is.”

“GAMES, WE LOVES GAMES, DON’T WE PRECIOUS!?” Says Gollum, who is quickly slipping between Smeagol and his alter ego.

Bilbo, frightened but up for a small shot at escape, “ Let’s play a game. If I win you show me the way out of here.”

It then segues into the riddle game and after into an expanded look at the scene which caused much speculation when the first trailer was released.

Gandalf and Galadriel come together, with Galadriel saying: “Mithrandir, why the halfling?”

Gandalf responds: “Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small things everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? That’s because I am afraid and it gives me courage.”

Chills. Seriously.

Gandalf and Galadriel are holding hands but not in a way that is romantic, but more in the sense of a lifetime of friendship and shared experiences. There is longing, but there is sadness. I cannot say that it is “love” in the way most people think of it.

“Do not be afraid, Mithrandir, you are not alone,” in Elvish, with English subtitles. “If you ever need aid, I will come.” And after a long look, she draws away from him, leaving him standing alone, and… slightly lost.

Cut to Bilbo picking up the ring

Gandalf raises his eyebrow and asks, “What did you find?”

Bilbo hesitates and fingers his vest pocket and then drops his hand and says: “My courage”.

Gandalf replies, “Your courage? Good, you’ll need it”.

It’s the first instance of Bilbo’s reluctance to tell the truth about the Ring.

And herrrrrrrrrrrrre we go, on a wild ride of action shots.

BOOM. GIANTS. Ugly, mean, wild and vicious stone giants.

Radagast, racing through the forest on his bunnysled. Yes, a bunnysled. A sled, pulled by surprisingly strong bunnies.

Tauriel, barely shown in these clips, although Philippa speaks highly of her in the Q&A which follows. What we do see is a female, dressed in-brown version of Legolas (description courtesy of Quickbeam), in combat with goblins. Legolas springs out of… leaves? …and joins in the fighting.

Legolas races from the action and comes face-to-face with the party of dwarves, who come to a shocked standstill. “I won’t hesitate to kill you, dwarf,” says everyone’s favorite elf. Warning: We are slightly guessing on the exact quote, due to excessive audience screaming.

More trolls… and then Gandalf is seen standing on a hillside, stabbing his staff into the ground with a blast of morning sunlight.

THE END

---

So that’s a lot to digest at once!  There are still some details which haven’t been described by those in attendance, but will probably make their way online once people have a chance to reflect on what they saw.