Sir Ian McKellen has confirmed he will reprise his role as Gandalf in the upcoming Lord of the Rings film The Hunt for Gollum, but expressed concern about the timing of the shoot. The 86-year-old British actor, who played the wizard in Peter Jackson's original trilogy and The Hobbit films, revealed his return during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
McKellen described the film's production schedule as 'unfortunate', noting that filming begins this July in New Zealand, which is winter in the Southern Hemisphere. 'I'm not sure I want to be out there in the wind and the rain,' he told the US late-night host. Despite his reservations, he teased his return, saying: 'Yes, I put on the pointy hat and the beard and the nose and the eyebrows and the moustache.'
The film, centred on the character Gollum, is directed by and stars Andy Serkis, who also played the role in the original trilogy. McKellen acknowledged that the project reunites the core creative team, including producer Philippa Boyens. He expressed excitement about Serkis directing a film about a character he 'has really made his own'.
McKellen had previously stated that his return depended on 'whether the legs and the lungs and the mind keep working'. The actor sustained wrist and neck injuries in a fall while performing onstage in June 2024 but remains committed to the role. Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn, has also expressed willingness to return 'if it seemed right and was faithful to what Tolkien wrote'.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled for release in 2027. The film will also feature the return of Frodo Baggins, though Elijah Wood has yet to confirm his involvement.
