Here’s Hugh Jackman as Jean Valejean in Les Miserables

2012 isn’t just a big year for action movies, superheroes and prequels pretending not to be prequels. Fans of musicals are also in for a treat, with Tom Hooper’s adaptation of Les Misérables set for release in December. It has been all good news from the production so far, with Samantha Banks set to reprise the role of Eponine from her stage performances, Hooper refusing to go the 3D route (another nail in the technology’s coffin, fingers crossed) and confirmation of the cast singing live on set.

Thanks to Just Jared, we’ve now got our first glimpse of star Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, pulling off the classic shaved-head-and-beard look with aplomb while preparing to shoot scenes involving the character’s imprisonment. Check out more images of Mr. Jackman getting his French on in this article’s gallery. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Amanda Seyfried.