Sir Ian McKellen, one of the most prevalent theatre actors of the 20th century, has commented on whether he is willing to star in Andy Serkis’ The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum.
Just a mere two weeks after his 85th birthday, X-Men actor Ian McKellen spoke to Dominic Maxwell of The Times, in the middle of production for Player Kings, about some career prospects given his age.
The actor had heard that there are “stirrings in Tolkien land”, referring of course to the cinematic adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Ian McKellen has also heard that Gandalf will feature, presumably in The Hunt for Gollum. He also adds to the last point that “there is no script, there is no offer, there is no plan.” When asked if he is interested in the film, he expresses his mortality with the phrase “If I’m alive.”
With The Hunt For Gollum beginning production anywhere from now until 2025, it’s very much possible that the iconic performer returns for one last dance despite his age. This new interview also clarifies what the plot of the new film could exactly be, with a mention of Gandalf.
We know that the film will take place before The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and after The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, between the arrival of Gandalf and the death of Gollum. The tampering of the fan film (which has the same name as the new film), certainly hinted that the plots of The Hunt for Gollum and the aforementioned could be the same.
With Viggo Mortensen also expressing interest and Andy Serkis attached to star, we could be in for a full Lord of the Rings reunion. But until then, speculation shall remain speculation while fans eagerly await its arrival.
Warner Bros.’ Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is directed by Andy Serkis, and produced by Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens. It is executively produced by Serkis, Ken Kamins, and Jonathan Cavendish and is written by Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens as well as Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. The only star attached to the film is Andy Serkis who reprises his role as Gollum.
