Following last year’s warmly-received prequel opener An Unexpected Journey, Lord of the Rings fans will be hoping for a slightly more improved follow-up in the form of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

The fantasy blockbuster sequel has unveiled a new trailer that shows us more of the characters as well as giving us a glimpse of new (and old) faces….

Directed again by Peter Jackson and adapted from the acclaimed novel of JRR Tolkien, the film carries on the journey of Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf companions as they find their way to the dwarf kingdom and face an uphill task in retrieving the gold from the deadly dragon Smaug.

Martin Freeman (The Office, Sherlock) reprises his role as Bilbo along with Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Richard Armitage as Thorin.

Original Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom makes a welcoming (if controversial) appearance in the new film as the Elvish warrior Legolas while Evangeline Lilly (Lost, Real Steel) and Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans, Fast and Furious 6) both make their debuts in the hugely-popular franchise. British star Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek into Darkness) lends his vocal talents to the roles of Smaug and the Necromancer.

The film will be released in cinemas on December 14th with the final Hobbit film, There and Back Again, due out the following year in December 2014.