First Image From ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ Released

As we eagerly await next week’s release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey most of us aren’t thinking about its sequel, The Desolation of Smaug, but we’ve got your first look at the film anyway courtesy of Entertainment Weekly,

Bilbo (Martin Freeman) on a giant pile of gold – wearing what looks like the one ring – looking at who? Well, Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) I’d figure. Which is funny, ’cause I thought their first meeting would be more like this,

The wonderful illustration above is by sn0otchie. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey releases December 14th. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug releases a year from then. Just how excited are you?