By Jessie Gambrell

Co-A&E Editor
It has been nine years since the last film of the trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” hit theaters, and now on Friday, Dec. 14, the prequel to the “Lord of the Rings” series will hit the big screens.
“The Hobbit” book will be presented as a set of three movies. From the same makers as the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, you can expect the same feel and quality of production. Get ready to be immersed into the fantastical world of the writer of the book series, J. R.R. Tolkien’s “Middle Earth.”
Director Peter Jackson is a die-hard fan who even has his own “Hobbit Hole” house in New Zealand, the film location of the movies. He managed to capture the amazing world that Tolkien had created in the books, bringing it to life through the magic of cinema and delivering the feel of Middle Earth as if you were walking through the beautiful fields and mountains.
The plot revolves around Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), a hobbit who comfortably lives in the quiet village of the Shire that rarely ever sees any action at all.  A fellow wizard, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) convinces him to go on a journey to the Lonely Mountains to help a fellowship of dwarves win back their stolen treasure from the greedy dragon, Smaug. Through their adventure to the mountains, they come across many challenges and enemies that they must fight off and survive to get to their destination.
The “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was such a big hit in the theaters as well as on the shelves, the gross revenue being $2,915,155,189 in the U.S., according to askville.com by Amazon. “The Hobbit” was originally written by J.R.R. Tolkien as a storybook for his children, when it was accidentally read by a publisher who was quick to publish it.
The tickets are said to be selling out quickly, so get your tickets in advance to see the film on opening night or any time soon after. For more information on “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” visit their website at: http://www.thehobbit.com