J.R.R. Tolkien wrote both 'The Hobbit' (1937) and 'The Lord of the Rings' (1954-55) as Middle-earth tales. 'The Hobbit' is the predecessor novel that introduces Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Ring. While LotR isn't a 'remake', it's the later work in the same universe - making 'The Hobbit' the correct answer as the prior novel.