It’s been an excellent week for eager fans anticipating The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and as we head towards the end of Tolkien Week, the film’s official Twitter has released a rather brilliant new poster in honour of Hobbit Day – today is Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’ joint birthday.

We’ve seen a new full-length trailer, followed by extra footage, along with plenty of new images, and this brand new poster is a brilliant way to see the week out.

“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.”

Martin Freeman takes the lead this time around as the young Bilbo Baggins, and he’s joined by a fantastic cast of new and familiar faces alike, headed up by Andy Serkis, Stephen Fry, Hugo Weaving, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen, Ian Holm, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Sylvester McCoy, and Christopher Lee.

UK fans can keep track of all things coming out of Middle-earth on Facebook, Twitter, and the official UK site, and we’ll be sure to bring you everything as and when it hits. It’s going to be an exciting few months (followed by an exciting year and a half), with plenty more to follow.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will begin the trilogy this coming 14th December in regular and IMAX 3D, and will be followed by The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on 13th December, 2013, and finally The Hobbit: There and Back Again on 18th July, 2014. For now, here’s the excellent new poster, which you can click to enlarge. Enjoy. And Happy Hobbit Day.