'The Hobbit' Movie Release Dates & Titles Announced: 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' & 'The Hobbit: There and Back Again'

Great and long-expected news for fans of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit!" The movers and shakers behind the two-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" (New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures and MGM) have finally announced the titles and release dates for Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit." The first film will be called "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," and will release on December 14, 2012. The second film, titled "The Hobbit: There and Back Again," will come out the following year, scheduled for December 13, 2013.

"The Hobbit" Prequel to "The Lord of the Rings"

"The Hobbit" is the prequel to "The Lord of the Rings" by some 60 years, and the book was written quite some time before Tolkien wrote "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. This was Tolkien's first foray into Middle Earth and "The Hobbit" introduced people to the small, jovial, woolly-footed hobbits, quiet citizens of The Shire. "The Hobbit" chronicles the adventures of one hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, as he somewhat reluctantly leaves the quiet and comfort of his home to follow a wizard and dwarfs on the road in a quest for treasure. Although he finds plenty of treasure, it is the small ring Bilbo stumbles upon which sets in motion the story line of "The Lord of the Rings."

Returning "Lord of the Rings" Characters

The announcement of a full slate of returning characters from "The Lord of the Rings" has brought joy to Ringers around the world: Ian Holm returns as the elder Bilbo; Orlando Bloom as Legolas; Cate Blanchett as Galadriel; Elijah Wood as Frodo; Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey, Christopher Lee as Saruman; Hugo Weaving as Elrond; and Andy Serkis as Gollum.

More Hobbit Cast Members

Martin Freeman (BBC's "Sherlock") will star as Bilbo Baggins with an ensemble cast that includes (in alphabetical order) Richard Armitage, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, Mike Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O'Gorman, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott, Jeffrey Thomas, and Aidan Turner.

Capturing Middle Earth

To capture the beauty and feel of Middle Earth, the two movies are being filmed on location around New Zealand under the direction of Peter Jackson. Jackson also wrote the screenplay along with Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro.

Tolkien fans have a long wait until December 2012, but "The Hobbit" promises to be worth the wait.

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