Here they are people, the ones we’ve been waiting for! It’s the first official images from The Hobbit (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey & The Hobbit: There and Back Again)! They come courtesy of EW via our friends at The Playlist. In the images we get our first look at Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and a nice new image of Sir Ian McKellen reprising his role as Gandalf. There is a third image here which shows director Peter Jackson and Freeman having a chat inside Bilbo’s house in The Shire.

This has got us SO excited for The Hobbit now! If you missed Peter Jackson’s video diary #1 then make sure you check it out here.

Synopsis: 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.

The Hobbit is currently shooting in New Zealand and will be released in two parts in 3D. The first The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released on December 14th 2012 with the second part, The Hobbit: There and Back Again coming the following year.

What do we think of these first images then people? Tell us in the comments below.