The Hobbit
Martin Freeman stars as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. The first trailer was released on Tuesday. Warner Bros

The first trailer for The Hobbit, director Peter Jackson's highly anticipated return to the Lord of The Rings universe, has been released.

The two-part epic adaptation of JRR Tolkein's much-loved novel will cover the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he joins a band of dwarves looking to save their kingdom from the dragon Smaug.

The trailer reveals a number of familiar faces including Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellan) and Gollum (Andy Serkis). The film will be released on December 14, 2012.

Watch the footage below: