Claim: The Hobbit series has three films.

The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug is a 2013 epic high-fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson and produced by WingNut Films in collaboration with New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . It was distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures and is the second installment in the three-part film series based on the novel The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien . The film was preceded by An Unexpected Journey -LRB- 2012 -RRB- and followed by The Battle of the Five Armies -LRB- 2014 -RRB- ; together they operate as a prequel to Jackson 's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy .   The film follows the titular character Bilbo Baggins as he accompanies Thorin Oakenshield and his fellow dwarves on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug . The film also features the vengeful pursuit of Azog the Defiler and Bolg , while Gandalf the Grey investigates a growing evil in the ruins of Dol Guldur . The ensemble cast includes Ian McKellen , Martin Freeman , Richard Armitage , Benedict Cumberbatch , Evangeline Lilly , Lee Pace , Luke Evans , Ken Stott , James Nesbitt , and Orlando Bloom .   Fran Walsh , Philippa Boyens , Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro wrote the screenplay . The films were shot simultaneously in 3D at a projection rate of 48 frames per second , with principal photography taking place around New Zealand and at Pinewood Studios . Additional filming took place throughout May 2013 .   The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug premiered on 2 December 2013 in Los Angeles and was released internationally on 11 December 2013 in both conventional and IMAX theatres . The film received mostly positive reviews and has grossed over $ 958 million at the worldwide box office , surpassing both The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers , making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2013 and the 34th highest-grossing film of all time .