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The Lord of the Rings franchise is one of the most beloved in pop culture history, thanks to both J.R.R. Tolkien’s books and the beloved movies (which are streaming with a Max subscription). We’re getting new content thanks to the development of The Hunt for Gollum, which has fans wondering about which actors from the Lord of the Rings cast might reprise their roles. Although Sir Ian McKellen name dropped Harry Potter when explaining why Gandalf might be recast for the new film.
News that Peter Jackson was behind a new LOTR movie broke the internet when it was revealed, and there have been countless questions and fan theories since then. While Viggo Mortensen has addressed possibly returning, another big name in question is the great Ian McKellen. While appearing on This Morning, the 85 year-old actor explained why his character could be recast, offering:
Don’t forget there were two Dumbledores.
Points were made. Plenty of franchises have recast major roles before, including the Harry Potter movies. Hogwarts got a new Headmaster after actor Richard Harris died in 2022, making way for late actor Michael Gambon to take over the mantle for the rest of the movies. So there’s precedent if another Gandalf is brought in by Peter Jackson.
During his recent interview, Ian McKellen cited his age, and how long it takes to develop movies like The Lord of the Rings as reasons why perhaps he won’t be able to play Gandalf again. But while he’s realistic about the possibility of a replacement actor for The Hunt for Gollum, he’d still prefer to be involved if possible. In his words:
I would: I would love to go back to New Zealand, number one. I also don’t like the idea of anybody else playing Gandalf.
I mean, can you blame him? The cast of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy spent years filming the movies in New Zealand, so McKellen and company understandably have strong feelings about their time on the franchise. But it’s been decades since The Return of the King hit theaters back in 2003, actually having the same cast involved might be tricky.
Still, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Sir Ian McKellen as the live-action Gandalf. Although with the Rings of Power series (which is streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription) fans are wondering if the mysterious Stranger might actually be Gandalf. Only time will tell, but however possibly plays the beloved Wizard will have some big shoes to fill… especially compared to how small Hobbits are.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is currently expected to arrive in theaters sometime in 2026, so development will have to pick up its pace. For now, check out the 2025 movie release dates.