Gay Icon Sir Ian McKellen Teases The Return of Gandalf in ‘The Hunt for Gollum’
Image: Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett C
Queer Tolkien nerds rejoice! Sir Ian McKellen has hinted at a return to Middle-earth, suggesting that Gandalf will appear in the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
Speaking at London’s ‘For the Love of Fantasy’ convention, the 86-year-old actor told fans: “Well, I hear there’s going to be another movie set in Middle-earth.
“And it’s going to start to filming in May. It’s going to be directed by Gollum, and it’s all about Gollum,” McKellen told the crowd.
“There’s a character in the movie called Frodo, and there’s another character called Gandalf. Apart from that, my lips are sealed.”
The remark has been widely interpreted as confirmation that both Gandalf and Frodo will feature in the new instalment, though McKellen stopped short of explicitly confirming whether he and Elijah Wood would reprise their roles.
The pair last appeared together in 2003’s The Return of the King, which won 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture.
However, The Hunt for Gollum is expected to take place between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings — which has left many fans with questions about how Frodo’s storyline will fit in with the timeline.
The film, scheduled for release on 17 December 2027, will be directed by Andy Serkis, who also stars as Gollum. Original trilogy creators Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are attached as producers, with Walsh, Boyens, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou writing the screenplay. Production is expected to begin in mid-2026.
McKellen alluding to the return of Gandalf has LOTR fans over the moon
McKellen’s possible return has drawn excitement from fans of the franchise. The actor, who has been openly queer since the 1980s, has become a significant figure in both LGBTQIA+ representation and international cinema. His performance as Gandalf across six Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films is widely regarded as one of the defining portrayals of modern fantasy, blending theatrical gravitas with popular appeal.
If confirmed, the involvement of McKellen and Wood would mark the first time major characters from the original trilogy appear in Warner Bros. and New Line’s new Lord of the Rings era. Further casting announcements are expected as production moves closer.
For long-time fans [like this writer, who holds bi-annual Lord of the Rings hibernation weekends where she watches the LOTR and Hobbit trilogies one after another] the possibility of seeing McKellen don the grey robes again has been met with huge anticipation. Online forums and social media feeds lit up following the convention, with many describing the news as “like coming home” to a world that defined their love of fantasy.
If confirmed, Gandalf’s return could be the emotional anchor that unites veteran audiences with a new generation of Middle-earth fans.
You can watch McKellen make the announcement at the For Love of Fantasy convention here:
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