The trailer to the prequel to Peter Jackson’s extremely popular trilogy Lord of the Rings is making its way online — which of course is entitled The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The premise? It follows the adventures of a young Bilbo Baggins with thirteen dwarves to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug. And Bilbo’s confrontation with Gollum and discovery of a particularly precious ring.

And yes, you can expect several characters from Lord of the Rings making an appearance in the new film.

Director Guillermo del Toro of Pan’s Labyrinth had a hand in the creative process, and it clearly shows in the visuals of the characters.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey comes out in theaters December 14, 2012.