Photos showing a bird's-eye view of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey set in New Zealand have been released, giving J.R.R Tolkein fans a further glimpse of what to expect from the Lord of the Rings prequel.

The aerial shots from the set of Sir Peter Jackson's eagerly anticipated film show the reconstructed set of Hobbiton, the home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.

Baggins, who is played by Martin Freeman, is joined by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Oakenshield's band of Dwarf warriors, and Gandalf the Grey (Sir Ian McKellen) in the film.

Andy Serkis returns as Gollum. Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood, and Cate Blanchett return in small parts to reprise their roles as Legolas, Frodo, and Galadriel, respectively. Evangeline Lilly will play Tauriel, while Luke Evans is on board as Bard.

The film, out next 14 December, is one of two Hobbit pictures Jackson will put out, with The Hobbit: There and Back Again slated for release in 2013.

PHOTOS: The Hobbit set...

The Hobbit set

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