This December, Sir Ian McKellen returns to one of his most iconic roles as Magneto in Avengers: Doomsday. Next December, he reprises another, Gandalf the Grey, in Andy Serkis' The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
As we first revealed on SFFGazette.com, a video has surfaced on social media that reveals a first look at McKellen as Gandalf. With his long grey hair and beard, and the beloved wizard's costume on full display, it doesn't look like a day has passed since the actor first played the hero in 2001's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
The extent of his role in The Hunt for Gollum is a mystery. The focus will mostly be on Smeagol and the young Aragorn, though Elijah Wood is back as Frodo Baggins for scenes likely to bookend this previously untold story.
At 87, McKellen is still going strong, and as Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum has proved, it's hard for fans to accept anyone else taking on the role of Gandalf.
The next movie in the works is The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, set 14 years after Frodo's passing. In that, Sam, Merry, and Pippin retrace their original adventure, and Sam's daughter, Elanor, discovers a secret about why the War of the Ring was nearly lost.
"Well, all I know is that they called me up and said these films were going to happen, that [they're] mainly going to be about Gollum," McKellen previously said of his return to Middle-earth. "Andy Serkis who played Gollum is going to direct, and there will be a script arriving sometime in the new year...and then I'll judge whether I want to go back [Laughs]."
The legendary actor was obviously happy with what he saw, but dropped a bombshell at the time which suggests he has at least one more appearance as Gandalf lined up in the coming years. "I'm told it's two films. I probably shouldn't be saying this [Laughs]. But I haven't read the script, and I don't know when it is, and I don't even know where it will be filmed."
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum stars Andy Serkis as Smeagol/Gollum, Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Lee Pace as Thranduil, Jamie Dornan as Strider, a.k.a. Aragorn, Leo Woodall as Halvard, and Kate Winslet as Marigol.
The story delves into Gollum's past, back in a time when he was known as a young Stoorish lad called Sméagol.
Serkis will direct the movie. Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh, who wrote The Lord of the Rings trilogy, are penning the screenplay, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou (The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim). The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit director Peter Jackson, meanwhile, is producing the project.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to be released in theaters on December 17, 2027.