In my recap of the panel for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey at Comic-Con, I noted how fantastic Gollum looked in the footage that was shown to us. Obviously visual effects technology has only gotten better since Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, and this newly rendered Gollum in action was a sight to behold.  Two new images from the first film in what may or may not end up being a Hobbit trilogy have landed online, giving those who were unable to attend Comic-Con a look at our dear friend Gollum.  The first image simply shows the swell Andy Serkis in his motion-capture suit on set, while the other image shows what his character looks like after having been fully animated.  Though these pictures are pretty impressive on their own, just wait until you see "Young Gollum" in action via Serkis' motion-capture performance.Hit the jump to take a gander at the images.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is due to arrive on December 14th.Images via E! Online. Here’s the synopsis for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

“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. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, goldring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.