Sir Ian McKellen is open to returning to play Gandalf in the 2026 “Lord of the Rings” movie “The Hunt for Gollum,” under one necessary condition: “If I’m alive.” In an interview with the United Kingdom’s The Times, the 85-year-old admitted that he approaches each new role as if it might be his last — and that certain “stirrings in Tolkien land,” such as the Peter Jackson-produced and Andy Serkis-directed movie, are tempting.
In recent years, McKellen has taken on six stage roles in three years, including as Hamlet in both 2021 and 2022. Of his current character, Falstaff in “Player Kings,” McKellen said, “I never thought he was particularly funny. But [director] Rob [Icke] has a honey tongue. He pointed out that Falstaff is a thoroughly objectionable person: he’s a liar and a hypocrite, a glutton, a drunk, careless with his relationships.”
“He must have some sort of charm, though. He can make people laugh. But he’s a very disappointed man. Several times he calls himself old, so there are all these negatives which you are putting against the standard, laughing fat-man Toby-jug idea of Falstaff,” McKellen added.
“The Hunt for Gollum” was announced just last month. In addition to Jackson, LOTR alumni are on board as producers and writers. They will be joined by writers Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou.
In a statement, Serkis, who starred as Gollum in the original triology, said, “Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”
Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy began in 2001 with the release of “The Fellowship of the Ring.” The movie earned over $800 million worldwide and received 13 Academy Award nominations. It was followed by “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King,” also spawning the prequel trilogy of “The Hobbit” films.
