News > Sir Ian McKellen Back for "Hobbit"

Sir Ian McKellen will reprise his role as Gandalf the Grey in Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of "The Hobbit" and its sequel. McKellen recently spoke with Empire magazine at the "Speed Racer" premiere and revealed the following about his next New Zealand-based acting job:

Yes, it’s true. I spoke to Guillermo in the very room that Peter Jackson offered me the part and he confirmed that I would be reprising the role. Obviously, it’s not a part that you turn down, I loved playing Gandalf. We talk occasionally [Gandalf and Sir Ian, that is] and he’s looking forward to coming out of retirement, yes. Guillermo will be getting around to starting the script in about six weeks when he’s finished filming Hellboy 2.”

He must mean when Guillermo is done with post production or something, as "Hellboy 2" must have wrapped shooting by now. It's coming out in just over two months and we've already seen some fairly finished-looking trailers. On the subject of the second "Hobbit" film, Sir Ian had this to say:

Well I’ve read "The Hobbit" so I’ve got a good idea of what the story would be. But as to how it’s going to work over two films and what going to happen on screen, well Guillermo has not got down to working out the major details yet – I can tell you it’s going to be amazing though.

Between del Toro and Jackson, that almost goes without saying. In other news McKellen has declined returning for the rumored X-Men spin-off focusing on Magneto.

They are making a Magneto spin-off but I don’t think it will involve me because it’s about the younger Magneto, it’s a back-story. Would I be willing to return to play a young Magneto? A cameo in my own movie? I don’t think so. I don’t think I could get away with playing a 19-year-old.