First look at Elijah Wood as Frodo in these new images from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

It is easy to forget sometimes that Elijah Wood is coming back to Middle Earth for THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. Despite being name-dropped in the first teaser, we haven’t gotten a look at Frodo in the new trilogy from Peter Jackson. Well that is about to change thanks to a Brazilian movie site.

CineMarcado posted five exclusive new images from the movie, one of which showcases everyone’s favorite ringbearer. Elijah looks older but for the most part he is a spitting image for his 2001 self. It is nice knowing that Peter Jackson is linking these films directly to THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Unlike the STAR WARS films, hte technological gap in the last decade is not so huge that these look like completely distinct trilogies.

Plot: “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” follows 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 Oakenshield. 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.

There are four other images here featuring shots of Bilbo and Gandalf. All of them look fantastic. I am (im)patiently waiting for December 14th to return to Middle Earth.