Peter Jackson Releases Dates and Titles for Upcoming LOTR Prequel, ‘The Hobbit’

Warner Bros. just issued a press release regarding the titles and release dates of The Hobbit. The movie, which is based on a book originally written by J.R.R. Tolkien, is set 60 years before The Lord of the Rings trilogy and follows the journey of hobbit Bilbo Baggins before he came upon the Ring.

Directed and produced by Peter Jackson, the movie will be split into two parts. The first, which will be released December 14, 2012, is entitled The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey. The second, released December 13, 2013, is The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

Most of the main cast of the The Lord of the Rings trilogy are signed to act in the two-part series, including Orlando Bloom, who we can all look forward to seeing once again as woodland elf Legolas. Also making a reappearance is Andy Serkis as Gollum, Cate Blanchett as Lady Galadriel, Ian McKellan as Gandalf the Grey, Christopher Lee as Saruman, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Ian Holm as the older Bilbo Baggins and Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins.

What do you think of the Lord of the Rings prequel? Will you be going to see it?