'Hobbit' films get release dates and titles

By Adnan Tezer May 31, 2011, 19:01 GMT

Peter Jackson's two-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" has gotten an official release date and title.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first film titled "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" will open Dec. 14, 2012.

The second film titled "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" will open Dec. 13, 2013.

Shooting on the two 3D films is underway in New Zealand.

The "Hobbit" films are being co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Bros. Pictures distributing.

Warner Bros. and MGM announced in January that Warners will handle worldwide distribution on the films, handling the international distribution and home video on the films in exchange for funding MGM's half of the production costs.

Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Carolynne Cunningham are producing the films, with Phillipa Boyens serving as co-producer and Ken Kamins executive producing.

Walsh, Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Jackson wrote the screenplays.

Jackson, Walsh and Cunningham produced the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

The cast includes Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, Rob Kazinsky, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, James Nesbitt, Adam Brown, Ken Stott, Sylvester McCoy, Mikael Persbrandt, Ryan Gage, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage and Conan Stevens.

Andy Serkis, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving and Orlando Bloom are reprising their roles from the "Lord of The Rings" trilogy.