The one-minute teaser of the musical drama reveals a montage of images featuring Jackman playing Jean Valjean, both a convict and a businessman, Crowe as Inspector Javert, and Hathaway portraying the prostitute Fantine.

The film adaptation of the Tony-winning hit musical from 1987 is directed by Tom Hooper ( The King's Speech) and evokes the desolation of the 19th-century story of the French Revolution based on the Victor Hugo novel.

The cast includes Amanda Seyfried ( In Time) as Cosette, Eddie Redmayne ( My Week With Marilyn) as Marius, Helena Bonham Carter ( Dark Shadows) as Madame Thenardier, and Sacha Baron Cohen as M. Thénardier.

Les Miserables trailer

Dramatic film versions, based on the novel (not the play), have also been released over the last two decades.

In 1995, Claude LeLouch directed a modernised rendition with Jean-Paul Belmondo, followed in 1998 by a version starring Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush and Uma Thurman, directed by Denmark's Bille August. Also, in 2000, Josée Dayan directed Gérard Depardieu and John Malkovich in yet another.

Les Misérables opens December 14 in North America in time for the Christmas holidays and Oscar eligibility.

It follows in Norway, Australia and Spain during December, then in January releases in Germany, Turkey and the UK, debuts in France in February and rolls out in Brazil and Argentina in March, with other market dates to be announced.