Ian McKellen says he has no plans to retire anytime soon following Gandalf news: "I'm not letting anyone else put on the pointy hat and beard if I can help it"
Sep. 3, 2024Ian McKellen doesn’t want to stop playing Gandalf
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After the surprise news thatIan McKellen will be returning as Gandalf, the legendary actor has confirmed that he has no plans to retire.
“I shall just keep at it as long as the legs and the lungs and the mind keep working,” McKellen toldBBC Breakfast.
As for his return as the famous wizard, McKellen said: “I’m not letting anyone else put on the pointy hat and beard if I can help it.”
“Enthusiasm for The Lord of the Rings shows no sign of abating,” McKellen commented recently of coming back as Gandalf. “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.”
In May, it was revealed thatAndy Serkis would star in and direct the live-action movieThe Hunt for Gollum. Plus, Peter Jackson will be involved, acting as a producer on the project. But, it’s so early in the process that further details are unknown at this point, beyond Gandalf’s apparent involvement.
Of course, there’s alsoThe Rings of Power season 2, which is currently releasing weekly on Prime Video. Depending on who you believeThe Strangeris, it’s possible that someone else is already playing Gandalf… but that remains to be seen.
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I’m a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site’s Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.
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