Peter Jackson has finally released official titles for his two upcoming films based on The Hobbit.

The Hobbit will be shot in digital 3D and told in two films.

The first film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, will be released on December 14, 2012.

The second film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again is set to be released on December 13 the following year.

Jackson announced over the weekend that Orlando Bloom will reprise his role as Legolas in the films, despite his character not appearing in the books.

Another of Jackson's films, an adaptation of the Tintin books, is almost complete.

For the past five years he has been working on the project with Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy.