The Hobbit (film series) was written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Jackson, and Guillermo del Toro, who was originally chosen to direct before his departure from the project. The films take place in the fictional world of Middle-earth sixty years before the beginning of "The Lord of the Rings", and follow hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who is convinced by the wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) to accompany thirteen dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch). The films also expand upon certain elements from the novel and
Middle-earth in film completed what Bakshi had started with their own animated adaptation of "The Return of the King", based on their own concepts previously applied to their earlier animated adaptation of "The Hobbit". The first live-action film depicting characters and stories of Middle-earth was shown in 1985 in the Soviet Union. "Skazochnoye puteshestviye mistera Bilbo Begginsa Khobbita" () [The Fabulous Journey of Mr. Bilbo Baggins the Hobbit] was a film based on the events of "The Hobbit". Shot in 1984 as a teleplay and produced in the framework of the children's TV series "Tale after Tale" (), it featured actors such as