It’s hard to envision anyone else portraying the character of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, and Sir Ian McKellen seems to feel the same way.
The 85-year-old actor made his mark in Peter Jackson’s renowned trilogy and its spin-offs, embodying the sagacious wizard, Gandalf the Grey (or Gandalf the White for accuracy).
From the original trilogy to the Hobbit prequels, McKellen has repeatedly delivered impeccable performances as Gandalf, achieving what many actors dream of: making a character uniquely his own. This has made it nearly impossible for anyone else to step into the role.
McKellen is quite aware of this, as he told BBC Breakfast: “I’m not letting anyone else put on the pointy hat and beard if I can help it.”
His statement leaves no room for doubt.
In his discussion with the BBC, McKellen was referring to an upcoming Lord of the Rings prequel film titled The Hunt for Gollum. Set to be released in 2026, Andy Serkis is expected not only to reprise his iconic role but also to direct the film.
McKellen has shown interest in returning as Gandalf for The Hunt for Gollum and other future Lord of the Rings projects. He told 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,” he continued. “When? I don’t know. What the script is? It’s not written yet. So, they better be quick.”
The ever-expanding Lord of the Rings universe includes Prime Video’s prequel series, The Rings of Power, and an upcoming animated film, The War of the Rohirrim, scheduled for release in December.
In June, McKellen experienced a fall off stage while performing in Player Kings in London’s West End, resulting in injuries to his wrist and vertebrae.
Speaking about the incident on BBC Radio 4’s Today program, McKellen mentioned that he was physically better but still dealing with some emotional repercussions.
“I said to myself as I tripped and slid off the stage, ‘This is the end.’ These were the words in my mind, ‘This is the end,'” he recalled. “And apparently I shouted out, ‘My neck is broken, I’m dying.’ I don’t remember saying that, so there was a lot going on in my head as the body responded to the fall.”