Today we have the first look at the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield, as portrayed by Richard Armitage.

Thorin is the leader of the company of Dwarves who go to the Lonely Mountain to do battle with the dragon Smaug. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is directed by Peter Jackson and comes to theaters December 14th, 2012 . The film also stars Cate Blanchett, Saoirse Ronan, Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood, Martin Freeman, David Tennant, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee.

As a young Dwarf prince, Thorin witnessed the destruction and terror wrought when a great fire-breathing Dragon attacked the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. After slaughtering many of Thorin’s kin, the great serpent, Smaug, entered The Lonely Mountain and took possession of its vast store of gold and jewels. No-one came to the aid of the surviving Dwarves, and thus, a once proud and noble race was forced into exile. Through long years of hardship, Thorin grew to be a strong and fearless fighter and revered leader. In his heart a fierce desire grew; a desire to reclaim his homeland and destroy the beast that had brought such misery upon his people. So when fate offers him an unusual ally, he seizes the chance for revenge.

Entire Dwarven Company

Here is the official The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey synopsis:

“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Sources: TheOneRing.net

Narrated by Saoirse Ronan who plays the major character, Susie Salmon, the video has given a look at some never-before-seen scenes of the drama movie. Based on the critically acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, the movie centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

Playing Saoirse Ronan’s on-screen parents are Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg. Also joining the cast ensemble are Susan Sarandon as Susie’s grandmother and Stanley Tucci as Susie’s killer George Harvey.

[media id=142 width=540 height=360]

“The Lovely Bones” International Trailer

The Lovely Bones will open wide in U.S. theaters on December 11.

The movie centers on a young girl Susie who watches her family cope with her death from the afterlife once she’s raped and murdered by a serial killer who’s gearing up to strike again.

The Lovely Bones, starring actress Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon, with Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg as her parents, Susan Sarandon as her grandmother and Stanley Tucci as killer George Harvey, is scheduled to be released on December 11.

The featurette titled “An Emotional Journey” takes a look at the making of the Alice Sebold’s novel adaptation with commentary from director Peter Jackson, co-producer and screenwriter Philippa Boyens, and several cast members.

Featuring many on-the-set footage, the video hears Jackson first praising Sebold’s work with the book and how Saoirse Ronan brings the main character Susie Salmon to life. Explanation of the story itself is provided by two of the film’s actors, Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg.

“The Lovely Bones” starts off with what appears to be an idealized 1973 nuclear family of Jack and Susie Salmon and their three children: Susie, Lindsey and Buckley.  At 14, Susie is the oldest and the apple of her father’s eye, but before you can see the end of act one coming, tragedy strikes and Susie is brutally murdered by George Harvey, a neighbor.  Harvey is a psychotic who manically covers his tracks leaving the police have no leads on who committed the crime.  To make matters worse, the only part of her body ever found is her dismembered elbow.  Predictably, the Salmons go into a tailspin and Jack becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about what happened to his daughter.

In the meantime — or more importantly – outside of time and space, Susie’s soul has reached some sort of fantasmic utopia.  A beautiful world she at first thinks is heaven, but soon learns connects her to her unresolved fate on earth.

Coming from “The Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson, the drama film gets Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg to be Susie’s parents, Susan Sarandon as Susie’s grandmother, Stanley Tucci as Susie’s killer George Harvey, and Michael Imperioli as Len Fenerman, a police detective in charge of investigating Susie’s death.

“The Lovely Bones” opens nationwide on Dec. 11.

The first official trailer of “The Lovely Bones” released by Paramount Pictures unravels glimpses of what the teen girl and her family deal with after she is dead.

The beautiful surreal and otherworldly imagery strewn throughout the trailer is reminiscent of the dazzling visuals in What Dreams May Come. Like that film, The Lovely Bones is hard to classify with touches of drama, mystery, suspense and the supernatural. Which is perhaps why the trailer gives away more of the story than you might expect.

The film follows Susie (Saoirse Ronan) a 14 year-old girl raped and murdered by her neighbor. From heaven, she watches her family deal (or not) with her death, and watches her murderer as he tries to hide the evidence. Mark Wahlberg plays Susie’s father, Rachel Weisz her mother, Stanley Tucci the neighbor and Susan Sarandon the family’s grandmother.

Check out full “The Lovely Bones” trailer below.

Based on the critically acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, and directed by Oscar winner Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Jackson & Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens, The Lovely Bones is scheduled to hit theaters on December 11th.

Entertainment Tonight will be premiering the first trailer for Peter Jackson’s big screen adaptation of The Lovely Bones on Tuesday, August 4th, starring Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Saoirse Ronan.

Based on the best selling book by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones is the story of a 14-year-old girl from suburban Pennsylvania who is murdered by her neighbor. She tells the story from Heaven, showing the lives of the people around her and how they have changed all while attempting to get someone to find her lost body.

For those who don’t want to wait, we have a sneak peek at footage from the film right after the jump.

December 11 will be the date it opens wide in U.S. theaters.