Andy Serkis Says 'The Hobbit' Teaser May Be Under Your Tree By Christmas (So Be Good for Goodness Sake)

Since the first teaser for Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring" debuted about a hear ahead of its December 2001 bow, speculation has been high that we'd get our first glimpse at Jackson's 3D-ified "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" sometime this holiday season. Now someone close to the production says that yes, indeed, that is the case. So all of those geeks who put "Seeing a 'Hobbit' Teaser" on their Christmas list will be very, very happy. Ho-ho-hobbit!

According to Andy Serkis, who not only reprises his role as Gollum for the new films (a second film, "The Hobbit: There And Back Again," will be out in December 2013) but is also serving as the Second Unit Director on the mammoth production, told IGN that, "There will be a trailer fairly soon, actually. Around Christmas time, I believe." The site speculates that it's likely to be attached to either Warner Bros' "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" (man, that subtitle doesn't get any less stupid, does it?) or, more likely, Steven Spielberg's "Adventures of Tintin," since Jackson is a producer on 'Tintin,' and, quite frankly, a little more incentive for an American audience, largely unfamiliar with the source material, to show up for the film, would be a huge plus. If it's attached to 'Tintin,' too, there's a possibility that it could show off the neato new 3D technology "The Hobbit" is using courtesy of the Red Epic camera system, since everyone will already be wearing those silly Buddy Holly 3D glasses.

Serkis, who costars in 'Tintin' and will soon be making the Oscar rounds for his performance in the unexpectedly wonderful "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," doesn't know which film it's supposed to be attached to, but told the site, "It's just around the corner." The site commented that this remark was punctuated with a "gleeful" laugh, but we picture him screeching out the comment before leading us up a perilous volcanic cliff face.

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is expected in theaters on December 14th, 2012. And in case you missed it, here's the fourth video blog from the set.