Film

Ian McKellen confirms Gandalf’s return in The Lord of the Rings Gollum spin-off

Aug 19
Written by Alastair James

Sir Ian McKellen could return as Gandalf (Getty and New Line/WireImage)

Hollywood royalty Ian McKellen has teased a return to Middle Earth for his The Lord of the Rings character, Gandalf, in upcoming spin-off The Hunt for Gollum.

The veteran gay star of stage and screen was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of the wizard in 2001’s The Fellowship of the Ring. He went on play the role in the two sequels and The Hobbit films.

While attending a For the Love of Fantasy event in London on Sunday (17 August) with other cast members from the adaptations of JRR Tolkien’s work, McKellen addressed the new film which is due to be released in 2027.

Sir Ian McKellen at the Player Kings press night — Ian McKellen was close-lipped about the new film. (Getty)

“I hear there’s going to be another movie set in Middle Earth and it’s going to start filming in May,” he said. “It’s going to be directed by Gollum and it’s all about Gollum.

“Well, I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting: there’s a character in the movie called Frodo and there’s a character called Gandalf.” After some excited noises from the audience, he added: “Apart from that, my lips are sealed.”

Elijah Wood, who played Frodo in The Lord of the Rings and in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, was also at the event. Neither actor explicitly said they would be returning to their roles once again.

@gronkcosplay HUGE hunt for Gollum casting announcement #huntforgollum #ianmckellen #castingannouncement #lotr #breakingnews ♬ original sound – Gronk Cosplay

News of The Hunt for Gollum was announced last year with Andy Serkis directing the film as well as starring as the lead character, also known as Sméagol. Peter Jackson, who directed the original epics, is among the producers.

Warner Bros Discovery chief executive and president David Zaslav listed The Hunt for Gollum as one of the studio’s top priorities, Entertainment Weekly reported.