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  1. Movies
  2. The Hobbit

Hobbit & Fellowship: Lord Of The Rings Trailer Comparison

By Sam Ashurst
published 21 September 2012

Visual echoes in the two trilogy openers…

  • Comments
Going for a walk

Going for a walk

In The Hobbit Trailer: We could have told you there'd be a shot of people walking along a mountain in The Hobbit trailer the moment the film was first announced… And here it is! A long shot of our heroes walking towards some snowy peaks.

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: It's a long shot that's so similar to the first film's people walking along a mountain moment, they could literally be edited together seamlessly.

It even makes sense in geographical terms - in one scene they're walking towards snow, in the next, they're in it.

We've got a feeling these films might be linked. They may even have the same director.

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Troll attack

Troll attack

In The Hobbit Trailer: We see the back of a hobbit, as he scrambles away from a troll wielding a weapon.

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: We see the back of a hobbit, as he scrambles away from a troll wielding a weapon.

Peter Jackson and chums really want to remind us that this is a Lord Of The Rings film, don't they?

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Beware: Falling Rocks

Beware: Falling Rocks

In The Hobbit Trailer: Our hero hobbit and his rag-tag band of heroes hold on for dear life, as their underground rocky surroundings start to crumble.

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: Our hero hobbit and his rag-tag band of heroes hold on for dear life, as their overground rocky surroundings start to crumble.

We're starting to think that people who complained that The Hobbit trailer is boring compared to the originals might not have a staff to stand on - they're the same!

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Gandalf The Slightly Less Grey

Gandalf The Slightly Less Grey

In The Hobbit Trailer: Gandalf The Grey hasn't gone full grey yet, unless he's been using Just For Wizards on the sly.

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: Here Sir Ian McKellen looks older than he does in The Hobbit , even though he was younger when he filmed it.

Jackson's make-up team have done a great job here.

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Gruesome army

Gruesome army

In The Hobbit Trailer: An army of Goblins invade an open space in the foreground, lit by orange light in the background.

The goblins are this film's orcs.

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: An army of orcs invade an open space in the foreground, lit by blue light in the background.

The orcs are this film's orcs.

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Teaser Sting

Teaser Sting

In The Hobbit Trailer: This shot actually comes from one of the optional endings fans can choose to edit their own trailer - but it's still significant, and resonant.

Here, Balin mocks Bilbo's weapon, "I'm not actually sure it is a sword." We know it's not - it's an elf knife, which happens to be a perfect sword-like size for a hobbit.

We also know that far cooler than Balin realises, because…

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: We see Sting's power - to glow whenever there are orcs are close. Not so shabby now, is it?

Also, notice that neither Bilbo nor Frodo fully unsheath the blade. In fact, they show around the same amount of sword to the camera. Again, Jackson is reminding us that these films are a bit linked.

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Galadriel's changing attitude...

Galadriel's changing attitude...

In The Hobbit Trailer: Galadriel appears, and questions Gandalf's judgment on bringing a "Halfling" on the adventure. Which we're pretty sure is racist slang.

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: Clearly Bilbo's actions in the Hobbit trilogy will make Galadriel change her mind about the potential of hobbits.

"This task was appointed to you," she says here. "And if you don't find a way, no-one will."

In both trailers, Cate Blanchett is beautifully lit. Slightly more beautifully in The Hobbit , it has to be said.

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Stone & Ice

Stone & Ice

In The Hobbit Trailer: Bilbo Baggins, with Gandalf, Elrond, and dwarves in attendance, stands in front of circular stand, made of a natural substance (ice).

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: Frodo Baggins, with Gandalf, Elrond, and dwarves in attendance, stands in front of circular stand, made of a natural substance (stone).

Here though, Richard Armitage's Thorin Oakenshield is the first person we see in the frame, with Bilbo very much in the background.

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Rocky Journey

Rocky Journey

In The Hobbit Trailer: Our heroes run across mountainous terrain, with rocks jutting out of the ground everywhere.

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: We see a mountainous terrain, with rocks jutting out of the ground everywhere, which is primed and ready for our heroes to run across.

Honestly, the Hobbit shot above could come from any of the films from the original trilogy.

Considering the time it's taken for The Hobbit to arrive, that's pretty cool.

We wonder if Guillermo del Toro's take would have been as identikit.

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Gandalf arrives in Hobbiton

Gandalf arrives in Hobbiton

In The Hobbit Trailer: Gandalf peers into Bilbo Baggins' round window, giving the hobbit a massive fright.

In The Fellowship Of The Ring Trailer: Gandalf enters Hobbiton, riding past several of the hobbits' round windows.

Both trailers open with Gandalf rocking up into Hobbiton, but notice that Bilbo is a lot more afraid of Gandalf than Frodo was - he greeted the wizard with a massive hug - maybe these films are different, after all!

Read more about The Hobbit

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
  • Comments
Sam Ashurst
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Sam Ashurst is a London-based film maker, journalist, and podcast host. He's the director of Frankenstein's Creature, A Little More Flesh + A Little More Flesh 2, and co-hosts the Arrow Podcast. His words have appeared on HuffPost, MSN, The Independent, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, and many more, as well as of course for us here at GamesRadar+.

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