Judging from the trailer the new films certainly have that Middle-Earth thing going. Hearing snippets of Howard Shore's new music helps. Like J.R.R. Tolkien's book the film seems more lighthearted than 'The Lord of the Rings'. Especially the introduction of the dwarves suggests a good deal of humor.
I am curious as to how Jackson will juggle the many characters in this story. A lot of the orginal cast members will return but there are also many newcomers; including thirteen dwarves. It must be a huge challenge to give them all a distinct personality. Once again the casting is outstanding; Martin Freeman makes a great Bilbo Baggins.
