Photo Flash: First Image from the Third Film in THE HOBBIT Trilogy Just Released!

The first film in Peter Jackson's upcoming HOBBIT trilogy hasn't even been released yet - but the very first image, featuring Orlando Bloom as Legolas, from the third film in the trilogy has just been released! Check it out below!

Legolas, though included in THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, did not appear in THE HOBBIT, the precursor to RINGS. Jackson explains his intent behind including the character in this series of films:

“He’s [the elven king] Thranduil’s son, and Thranduil is one of the characters in The Hobbit, and because elves are immortal it makes sense Legolas would be part of the sequence in the Woodland Realm."

The first film the series, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, follows 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 Oakenshield. 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. It's set for a theatrical release on Dec. 14.

Photo Credit: Mark Pokomy, via EW

Orlando Bloom