Ian McKellen says he's open to returning as Gandalf in the next new The Lord of the Rings movie.
In an interview with the British magazine the big problemThe actor spoke about his return to his iconic role as the Grey Pilgrim.
“They just told me there's going to be more movies and Gandalf is going to be in it and they're hoping I'll play him,” McKellen said. “When? I don't know. What's the script? It's not written yet. So they better hurry!”
McKellen played Gandalf in the first three Lord of the Rings film as well as the Hobbits movie.
In May, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav said the company is “now in the early stages of script development” for the new The Lord of the Rings films that are expected to have a release date in 2026 and will “explore storylines yet to be told.” The first film, from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, will be called The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (working title), with Andy Serkis set to star and direct the film.
Director Peter Jackson and his longtime partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens “will be involved in every phase of the project” and will produce. Boyens and Walsh will write the screenplay.
The interview published Tuesday marked new comments from the 85-year-old actor after he fell from the stage during a performance at London's Noël Coward Theatre. McKellen was performing as John Falstaff in a production of Henry IV, Part One and Part Two, when he lost his balance and fell during a fight scene. The show was cancelled and the crowd evacuated from the theatre. McKellen had to cancel his remaining performances, including a UK tour of the show. David Semark took over.
In an update at the time, McKellen shared on social media: “My injuries have been diagnosed and treated by a range of experts, specialists and nurses working for the NHS. To them, of course, I am hugely indebted. They have assured me that my recovery will be full and speedy and I can't wait to get back to work.”
“I feel weak physically, and that's why I exercise,” McKellen told the health publication. “And, of course, it's emotional. We all stumble throughout our lives, it's just that when you get to my age, you can't always get back up.”
“I'm just trying to convince myself that it was an accident,” he added. “I'm usually working or getting ready to work, I've been doing that a little bit, wondering what the best plan would be. I'm going to take the rest of the year off. Not because I need to, just because I want to.”