Fans of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth saga waited with growing impatience for the second chapter, The Desolation of Smaug. In Canada and the United States, promotion for the film fed a steady drumbeat of excitement, with trailers offering glimpses of a wider world and a darker mood than the first movie hinted at. The anticipation wasn’t only about more dragons or bigger battles; it was about the way the cast and the story would carry Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield, and their dwarven companions deeper into the mountains and into a confrontation with an almost mythical shadow. The trailers teased sweeping landscapes, towering cities, and the uncanny chemistry among a group that has become a beloved ensemble. They also underscored the film’s balance of humor and peril, of camaraderie and backstabbing, revealing an arc that promises to honor Tolkien’s canon while delivering the pulp thrill that cinema audiences crave. Audiences watched keenly as release windows narrowed and new posters and teasers arrived, each one signaling progress toward a more ambitious, more dangerous adventure.
Then came the newest trailer, a compact dose of spectacle and character. It builds toward what fans hope will be the most thrilling sequence yet, and it offers the first substantial look at Smaug, the dragon whose fame is matched by his fearsome presence. Benedict Cumberbatch supplies the voice, giving the creature a granite-throated timbre that seems to shake the screen. The trailer suggests a confrontation heavy with tension and wonder, reintroducing Bilbo’s cunning as he threads a path through peril toward the dragon’s lair. The iconic line, “I am king under the mountain!” lands with a roar that promises a pyrotechnic crescendo and a moral test for the heroes. Viewers also glimpse the scale of the threat as smoke, fire, and stone collide in a sequence that hints at a broader war for Middle-earth. In addition to Smaug, the clip confirms familiar faces and a few new faces who will complicate the quest and add layers to the drama, all aimed at raising the stakes well beyond the first film.
Alongside the dragon, the cast expands the mythos with familiar faces and fresh talent. Orlando Bloom returns as Legolas, a lithe and deadly presence who moves through battle scenes with a blend of grace and grit. He is joined by Lee Pace, portraying the Elvenking, and Evangeline Lilly, who enters the saga as Tauriel, a skilled elf whose decisions bring ethical tension and new chemistry to the ensemble. The combination of Legolas’ agility, Tauriel’s resolve, and the Elvenking’s cool leadership adds a broader reach to the adventure while preserving the intimate dynamics that have fans rooting for Bilbo’s evolving courage. The trailer suggests deeper alliances and a willingness to make tough calls, turning the journey into a more intricate dance of loyalties, rivalries, and shared purpose as the team moves toward confronting Smaug and the darkness that shadows the mountains.
The release date sits on the calendar: December 13, 2013. That moment in time mattered to audiences across North America and around the world, signaling a milestone for a story that began with comfortable humor and grew into a sweeping epic. The trailer’s mission is to remind viewers of everything at stake while highlighting moments of awe, danger, and humor that defined the first film. It frames Desolation of Smaug as a larger, more immersive continuation—an opportunity to experience more elaborate set pieces, more expansive scenery, and a stronger sense of consequence for every decision the characters make. Production values remain high, with Jackson orchestrating a seamless blend of practical effects and digital artistry that pulls the fantasy into vivid realism. The result promises a cinematic experience that honors Tolkien’s world while delivering the intensity that fans crave in a modern blockbuster.
Until audiences can sit in theatres, the trailer acts as a pulse-quickening reminder of a story still unfolding. It invites back Bilbo’s quiet courage, invites a test of Smaug’s legendary power, and builds anticipation for the series’ climactic confrontations. For Canadian and American moviegoers, this preview was a sign that the journey would extend beyond a single chapter and into a broader, more consequential saga. It highlights the human threads—the loyalty among companions, the difficult choices, and the humor that keeps the peril from tipping into despair. The Desolation of Smaug trailer thus functions not just as marketing but as a portal, a promise that the world of Middle-earth will keep expanding in vivid detail and heart, even as the dragon’s fire arcs toward a final, unforgettable encounter. [Source: Official trailer materials]”