User blog comment:Ericmoro/Celebrate Hobbit Day with Wikia/@comment-5070377-20121010211136/@comment-5070377-20121012072934

@ Lego Master: How the hell is The Hobbit about The Lord of the Rings? Shut up, if you don't understand what the subject even is...

@ HiddenVale: Smaug is in the second one, (only I presume) due to the fact its self indulgent title is "The Desolation of Smaug."

Furthermore, Peter Jackson is known for making lengthy films and The Hobbit was originally planned for a duology, as it only has 300-400 pages in the novel. Expanding upon the Second White Council or the Exodus of Sauron from Mirkwood shouldn't make a difference in the time. This leads me to conclude it is a money grab.