While critics' reactions to Peter Jackson's long-awaited “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” should start dropping today (the first quasi-review has tilted toward the positive), it's up to the film's marketing team to continue the slow intriguing reveal, and that means showing off one of the J.R.R. Tolkien book's signature creatures.
A new TV spot for the film has landed online, and beside a few new choice lines and visuals, it more crucially offers a quick glimpse of Smaug, the much-discussed dragon voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, laying waste to a city. Before one gets too excited though, the majority of the creature's part won't even feature until the later 'Hobbit' installments, but you can hear today the words of Jackson as he discusses the design process required to bring him to life.
Speaking at Comic-Con this past July (via Hero Complex), Jackson describes his intention for Smaug to “present the most venal, scary, decrepit, nasty dragon I possibly can,” without leaning too far into the “science-fiction territory” that comes with such creature design.
You can catch the TV spot below and while you're at it, check out a selection of exclusive character posters, due to be handed out at the film's midnight IMAX showings on Dec. 14th. [First Showing/Latino Review]