Ian McKellen says LOTR filmakers ‘better be quick’ if they want him back as Gandalf
Sir Ian McKellen is willing to reprise his role as Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” franchise, but it needs to happen soon.
“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,” the actor, 85, told Big Issue magazine. “When? I don’t know. What the script is? It’s not written yet. So they better be quick!”
McKellen fell in June during a performance of “Player Kings,” a new version of Shakespeare’s “Henry IV,” in London.
He told the publication he wonders if the fall happened because he is elderly.
“I’m just trying to convince myself it was an accident,” McKellen said.
“I’m left feeling weak physically, which I’m doing exercises for,” he added. “And, of course, it’s emotional. We all trip all our lives, it’s just when you get to my age you can’t always get up again.”
The legendary actor has appeared in multiple “Lord of the Rings” films and likes being busy.
“I’m usually working or preparing to work, I’ve been doing a little bit of that, wondering what might be the best plan,” he said. “I’m going to take the rest of the year off. Not because I need to, just because I want to.”
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | September 3, 2024 9:11 PM
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I’m 85! Hopefully, I SHALL NOT PASS!
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | September 3, 2024 2:22 AM
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He looked 85 when he made Gods and Monsters with Brendan Fraser!
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | September 3, 2024 4:20 AM
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Yeah, I'm an admirer, but it's time to pass the torch.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | September 3, 2024 6:39 AM
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I like McKellen as a person. He should see the script before he pushes too much for the role.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | September 3, 2024 3:14 PM
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He needs to have his appearance and voice digitized, and placed into a semi-autonomous A.I. trust (a sort of virtual McKellen), going into effect upon his death, which will accrue his posthumous digital earnings to whichever beneficiaries he names (relatives? descendants? partners?) in perpetuity.
Treasured actors should contemplate having this done, so that characters they've played for which there's an ongoing demand can continue past their death. I think Disney has been doing something like this with James Earl Jones, so that the voice of Darth Vader in future shows and contexts can continue to be authentic.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | September 3, 2024 8:06 PM
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It would be nice if they would take another crack at The Hobbit. Make it a single 3 hour long movie with as little CGI as possible. Gandalf doesn't have to do anything too athletic in that movie so Sir Ian could probably manage.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | September 3, 2024 8:20 PM
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