Comic-Con 2012: Peter Jackson debuts 'The Hobbit' clips

Fanboys and girls, gird your loins: At Comic-Con on Saturday (July 14), director Peter Jackson screened 12 minutes of previously unseen footage from the prequel to his "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and it is -- what else? -- epic.

"The Hobbit" will be released as two 3-D films (it was screened at Comic-Con in 2-D) -- "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" -- and if the audience reaction to the films' footage is any indication, Jackson might want to start prepping another Oscar speech.

The sneak peek includes a sweet scene between Ian McKellen's Gandalf and Cate Blanchett's Galadriel, a look at Evangeline Lilly's Tauriel, an exchange between Bilbo  
and Gollum, and the moment when Bilbo discovers the ring.

Another bonus for fans: Elijah Woods, who says he was only on "The Hobbit" set for a very brief time, also made a special appearance at the panel.

Do you think "The Hobbit" will be Jackson's best film of the series?