THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY Photos: Bilbo Baggins

The January edition of the Empire Magazine and February issue of Total Film Magazine are rolling out now and what should lie within but a new images of Martin Freeman as the hero Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s prequel The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The Hobbit follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins , who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey , Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Aside from Martin Freeman, it also stars Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood, Hugo Weaving, Lee Pace, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis, Ian Holm, James Nesbitt, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will hit the theaters on December 14th, 2012.

Update:

Warner Bros. Pictures confirmed that the first trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will play in theaters with The Adventures of Tintin starting next Wednesday, December 21st.

Martin Freeman as the hero Bilbo Baggins