"The Hobbit" takes flight in Air New Zealand safety video

Passengers flying Air New Zealand may now feel like they're on a direct flight to Middle Earth.

Billing itself as "the airline of Middle Earth," the carrier has released an in-flight safety video inspired by the upcoming premiere of the first film in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" trilogy.

The four-minute clip, titled "An Unexpected Briefing," features Gollum, a cameo from Jackson and cabin staff dressed as film characters. It got more than 2 million hits on YouTube within a day of being posted Wednesday.

Two of the author J.R.R. Tolkien's great-grandsons even make cameos in the video. Royd Tolkien appears wearing prosthetic feet.

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" arrives in theaters on Dec. 14.