'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' Release Date, Cast, Trailer and News: Things We Know So Far

By Staff Reporter Sep 04 2014, 15:52 PM EDT

In December, Warner Bros. will release "The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies", the final installment in "The Hobbit" series. Peter Jackson returns to the helm in what promises to be an action-packed film.

The new film continues Bilbo's journey in Middle Earth with Thorin's company and their attempt to recover the Dwarves home.

The following is a list of things we know about the film:

It Will Be a Box Office Success

All the Middle Earth films have been box office hits up to this point. While the second installment was the least successful, "Battle of the Five Armies" could relive the success of the previous features. "Desolation of Smaug" lived up to the hype and was received better than "An Unexpected Journey." As a result, audiences are more confident "Battle of the Five Armies" will be a good film. Secondly, the new installment is being released in the holiday season and there is a lack of blockbusters coming out this year. This could help generate better business.

Christopher Lee Is Back as Saruman

Lee became a key figure in Middle Earth ever since he appeared in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. However, he has been absent in "The Hobbit." He appeared briefly in the first installment, but was not seen in "The Desolation of Smaug." This may change for the latest installment, as IMDb has Lee billed for his role as Saruman. There has been no word on how large his role will be but from the looks of it, Jackson will finally show when Saruman joined Sauron to destroy middle earth.

The Film Will Have an Epic Battle

The latest trailer and title indicate that there will be a lot of action in this feature. Based on the escalating conflict from the previous two installments and Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, the film will most likely end in a cliffhanger but will feature a battle where Smaug and Azog will be killed. In the original book, the Dwarves team up with the Humans and Elves to destroy Smaug as he built chaos throughout.

Sauron Is Reborn

In "The Desolation of Smaug," there are hints that the Necromancer is Sauron. Gandalf goes to a tower that is similar to the one where Sauron's eye watches over Mordor in "The Lord of the Ring" trilogy. However, his name is never mentioned. In the new trailer, the eye is shown, which immediately gives away that Sauron will most likely have a bigger role in this film.

Thorin May Die

This is a major plot spoiler for those that are not familiar with the source material. In the original 1937 book by Tolkien, Thorin banishes Bilbo when he tries to ransom the Arkenstone to prevent war. However, in the eventual Battle of the Five Armies, Thorin is fatally injured. When he realizes how invaluable Bilbo has been to the whole journey, the two reconcile and Thorin dies. While the last two movies have taken liberties with the original book plot, it remains to be seen whether that part will stay intact, or if Thorin's fate may take another course.

"The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies" is slated to be released on Dec. 17 alongside "Annie" and "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb."