Ian McKellen might play Gandalf again after being asked to reprise his role in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum which is set for a 2026 release.
The actor, now 85, is famous for playing Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, directed by Peter Jackson. Jackson is producing a new film focusing on Gollum, which will be directed by Andy Serkis who will also reprise his role. Wētā Workshop will help bring Gollum to life with its visual effects.
As per reports by Deadline, McKellen spoke about his return in The Big Issue;
“Enthusiasm for The Lord of the Rings shows no sign of abating … I can’t tell you any more than that. I’ve just been told there are going to be more films and Gandalf will be involved and they hope that I’ll be playing him.”
Ian McKellen approached to play Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings after his injury
Back in June, McKellen suffered a chipped vertebra and fractured wrist during a performance of Player Kings in London. Almost three months later, he's fully recovered and is ready to move ahead with his role for the third time at the age of 85. He continued:
When? I don’t know. What the script is? It’s not written yet. So they better be quick."
Ian McKellen is planning to take a break for the rest of 2024, which means he might start acting again in 2025, which is around the time the new Lord of the Rings movies are expected to start filming.
Why is Galdalf important in Andy Serkis’ The Lord of the Rings movie?
Gandalf is the main character in J. R. R. Tolkien's books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He's a powerful wizard and leader of the Fellowship of the Ring.
As Gandalf the Grey, he travels around and shares his knowledge to help others. His main goal is to stop the Dark Lord Sauron by destroying the One Ring. Gandalf is an immortal spirit, meaning he cannot die, but his physical body can be hurt.
Ian McKellen played Gandalf in all of Peter Jackson's original movies and The Hobbit trilogy. If he comes back to the franchise, it would be a huge deal for Andy Serkis.
The Lord of the Rings started as a single trilogy, but it's growing into a big universe. First, we got The Hobbit Trilogy, and now more movies and TV shows are coming out. Prime Video has been providing this franchise with the platform to do so.
Are you excited about Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum? Let us know in the comments.
