Comic-Con returns once more to San Diego next week, and you can bet that the four-day event will lead to a very healthy dose of news in the coming days and weeks with so many brilliant films heading to the convention.

Things are already getting off to a good start, with Peter Jackson himself releasing a fantastic new Comic-Con poster for the first instalment of The Hobbit – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Jackson’s return to Middle-earth kicks off this December, and word came yesterday that filming had officially wrapped over in New Zealand, shooting both instalments – An Unexpected Journey and There And Back Again – back-to-back.

“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 film stars a fantastic ensemble of new and old faces alike, including Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Hugo Weaving, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen, Ian Holm, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, and Christopher Lee.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is due for release this December in the UK and US, and as you can see from this poster, it’s due for a release in 3D and IMAX 3D – tickets will be going on sale for the BFI IMAX later this year, and it’s safe to assume they’ll be selling like hot cakes. As usual with this great poster, you can click to enlarge.