Here's why:
* Chronological order: The events of The Hobbit take place 60 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings.
* Character development: The Hobbit movies introduce characters like Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf who play important roles in The Lord of the Rings.
* Worldbuilding: The Hobbit expands on the world established in The Lord of the Rings, showcasing locations and characters not fully explored in the earlier trilogy.
While The Hobbit films are based on a book that was written before The Lord of the Rings, the films themselves are sequels in the context of their release and story timeline.