Ian McKellen has seemingly confirmed Gandalf’s return in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, revealing whether he will be reprising his iconic role in future films. McKellen portrayed the wizard in Peter Jackson’s original film trilogy, returning to the role in The Hobbit movies a decade later. Since the last time he brought him to life on the big screen, the franchise has expanded, including Prime Video’s The Rings of Power TV series and the upcoming movie The Hunt for Gollum, scheduled for release in 2026. However, McKellen’s future involvement in the franchise has remained unclear.

Speaking with Big Issue, McKellen revealed Gandalf will be coming back in future Lord of the Rings movies, potentially speaking about The Hunt for Gollum, and that he has been approached to reprise his role. While it’s unclear if he’ll be coming back for sure, he expressed interest in the idea, mentioning how the script for his next movie in the franchise hasn’t been written yet. Check out what McKellen had to say below:

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. When? I don’t know. What the script is? It’s not written yet. So they better be quick!

Will Ian McKellen Return As Gandalf?

It’s Very Likely He’ll Reprise His Iconic Role

Gandalf looking angry next to eagles in The Lord of the Rings
While The Lord of the Rings movies offered a complete character arc for the wise wizard, his involvement in Middle-earth’s history stretches far beyond what the movies have shown. This makes him a perfect addition to The Hunt for Gollum, expanding his character in between both existing trilogies. With Andy Serkis already confirmed to be coming back as the titular character, it would make sense for McKellen to continue playing Gandalf, adding to the consistency of the new movies when they arrive.

However, the extent to which the actor will come back is unclear, as the story of the upcoming installment has yet to be confirmed. McKellen is also still recovering after falling off the stage while performing in Player Kings, making it unclear when he’ll be fit enough to reprise the role. Given his enthusiasm at the prospect of returning, though, it seems likely he’ll be healed up before filming commences, potentially having a major role given how iconic his original performance is. His comeback could also open the door for other Lord of the Rings characters to return.

McKellen also mentioned multiple movies when speaking about Gandalf’s return, potentially meaning he’ll be coming back for more than just The Hunt for Gollum. While other installments in the franchise have yet to be confirmed, additions like the upcoming anime film War of the Rohirrim mean anything is possible in the franchise’s future. For now, it seems the actor’s return will coincide with the newly-announced installment, but potentially setting the stage for even more appearances in the future.

Upcoming The Lord of the Rings Movie & TV Releases
Release Date

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2
Ongoing; next episode 09-05-2024

The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim
12-13-2024

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum
2026