Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, was contacted to return to his role

The name of Ian McKellen is a holy word in the universe of J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The 86-year-old British actor played Gandalf in the film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson between 2001 and 2003. Despite his age and the legacy he left in this work, we might soon see him back with his long robe, long white beard, and conical hat on the big screens around the world.

The Rings of Power continues to make its way as one of the best series available on streaming platforms today. There are two episodes left to premiere to conclude the second season, and the hype is soaring to impressive levels among fans of this production.

However, the appearance of Ian McKellen as Gandalf will not be in this series, as that role — although it is not confirmed to be Gandalf — is being played by Daniel Weyman (who is believed to be a young version of the iconic character, but could be another istari).

The production chosen for McKellen's return as Gandalf is led by none other than Peter Jackson himself. It is a project without a name, but there is speculation that it will be called "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum."

It will tell the stories of the famous hobbit corrupted by the seductive power of the ring. For now, it is only confirmed that Andy Serkis will return to play the character, but everything seems to indicate that Ian McKellen will also come back to be Gandalf, as the actor himself has stated in an interview for the YouTube channel, This Morning, as reported by Alfa Beta.

Ian McKellen would return as Gandalf

Sir Ian McKellen attended the interview, and as expected, he was asked about his future projects and his alleged participation. He replied that he knew the movie about Gollum was in the works and that he was well informed about it, but he didn't dare confirm that he had been offered the role of Gandalf.

"I have been told that there are two movies. I probably shouldn't say it. I haven't seen the script, I don't know when it will be released, and I don't even know where it will be filmed," said the British actor.

Another character who should appear in this movie is Aragorn, and everything indicates that they should offer the role to Viggo Mortensen. The film, in theory, is set to be released in 2026.