In an interview, the actor stated, "I am going to visit Middle-earth again next year and play the role of Gandalf. I do not plan to slow down."
McKellen also shared that filming the new spin-off is much easier for him than theatrical performances. His professional career was at risk after an incident in 2024 when he fell off the stage during a performance in London, suffering a neck sprain and a wrist fracture. The actor had to take a break to recover until the end of the year, but he still hopes to return to work.
He recalled how, at one point during the performance, his foot got caught on a chair, and while trying to free himself, he slipped across the stage and fell onto the knees of a front-row audience member. "Thanks to the protective gear and those knees, I was practically unhurt, but at that moment I thought it was the end," the actor recounted.
Rumors of McKellen's return to the role of Gandalf began to surface in August when he hinted at participating in the spin-off directed by Andy Serkis at the For The Love of Fantasy festival in London. He noted that characters named Frodo and Gandalf might appear in the film, which led to speculation that Elijah Wood, who played the hobbit Frodo Baggins, might also be involved in the project.
Filming is scheduled for May next year in New Zealand, with "Gollum" star Andy Serkis as the director.
