London, UK – Renowned actor Ian McKellen has expressed interest in reprising his role as Gandalf in the upcoming film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. However, McKellen mentioned during an interview that his return to the iconic character hinges on one crucial factor – his own mortality.
At 85 years old, McKellen last portrayed Gandalf in 2014’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. With almost a decade having passed since then, the actor shared that the decision to revisit the character depends on whether he is still alive. The Hunt for Gollum, slated for release in 2026 at the earliest, is currently in the early stages of script development.
Notably, McKellen is not the only original cast member considering a return to the franchise. Viggo Mortensen, who portrayed Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has also expressed openness to reprising his role for The Hunt for Gollum. However, Mortensen acknowledged the need for the storyline to justify his character’s aging over the two-decade gap since the original films.
While details about The Hunt for Gollum remain scarce, the film is expected to delve into the backstory of Andy Serkis’ character, Gollum. Director Peter Jackson has revealed plans to explore elements of the character’s journey that were not previously covered in the original trilogy. The movie aims to incorporate content from J.R.R. Tolkien’s extensive lore.
It is important to note that The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum should not be confused with a fan-film of the same name, which recently faced a takedown by Warner Bros. before being reinstated. As anticipation builds for the new installment in the Lord of the Rings theatrical universe, fans can look forward to discovering untold stories and new developments in the beloved fictional world created by Tolkien.