ROTTEN TOMATOES: Ian McKellen Is Not Too Busy for The Hobbit

Ian McKellen Is Not Too Busy for The Hobbit

Sir Ian "clearing his diary" for return to Middle-earth in '09.

by Jeff Giles | March 27, 2008

Even while The Hobbit was in legal limbo, Sir Ian McKellen wasn't shy about letting people know he wanted to reprise his role as Gandalf for the Lord of the Rings prequel(s).

Now that the project is coming together, his enthusiasm remains undimmed -- and what's more, according to the most recent batch of answers posted to his fans' questions at McKellen.com, he appears to be kinda sorta unofficially officially attached to the two Hobbit films.

It isn't the most surprising news, but it'll be comforting to fans of the LotR films, two of whom had their Hobbit-related questions addressed on Wednesday. Dig it:

Q: So has it come to pass, good Sir McKellen? Shall the dreaming masses with their musty books and their blackened pipes at long last hear those immortal words issue from under that famous nose? "Yes, yes, my dear sir -- and I know your name, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. And you do know my name, though you don't remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me! To think I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!" Looking about, I find I share the same hopes as millions of others, so I ask, a single query in a chorus... Will you again be our Gandalf in "The Hobbit" now that the deal is settled?

A: Yes I will, if Peter Jackson and I have anything to do with it, he being the producer and me being, on the whole, a very lucky actor. I've just read your quote out loud -- fabulous speech.

The question might make you want to scream like Ogre in Revenge of the Nerds, but McKellen's answer is admirably direct -- and if you still have any doubt as to who'll be wielding Gandalf's staff in the new movies, read on:

Q: Have you been approached yet by Peter Jackson or anyone else about reprising your wonderful role as Gandalf for the two upcoming "Hobbit" movies. I read that principal photography begins in 2009, and I can't imagine those movies without you!

A: Encouragingly, Peter and Fran Walsh have told me they couldn't imagine The Hobbit without their original Gandalf. Their confidence hasn't yet been confirmed by the director Guillermo del Toro but I am keeping my diary free for 2009!

Source: McKellen.com

Related Items

Movie:	The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
	The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
	The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Celeb:	Peter Jackson
	Ian McKellen
	Guillermo Del Toro
	Fran Walsh

(1-20 of 42 posts) | Reply

akatsuki writes:
on Mar 27 2008 05:36 AM

great

(Reply to this)

rockster11 writes:
on Mar 27 2008 05:45 AM

Yep IMO this movie would not work without Ian... Very good news indeed

(Reply to this)

willpower writes:
on Mar 27 2008 05:51 AM

Why two movies?

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TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Mar 27 2008 06:16 AM

Joining the chorus:
In a virtually flawless production, McKellan was arguably the single greatest casting move Jackson made.

If it ain't broke, don't get a new wizard.

(Reply to this)

donwillymo writes:
on Mar 27 2008 06:38 AM

Yay! more Hobbits walking around with a ring that they're just gonna throw in a volcano. waste of 13.5 hours. Yay!

(Reply to this)

donwillymo writes:
on Mar 27 2008 06:42 AM

All right, look, there's only one "Return," okay, and it ain't "of the King," it's "of the Jedi."

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Ashron writes:
on Mar 27 2008 07:11 AM

So Don, are you just looking for a fight or what? Return of the King was first published when Lucas was graduating college, so I think King has the advantage. Of course, this is an old argument and really not worth the effort. They're both great movies and different enough that they needn't really be compared.

But thanks for sharing your obviously well thought out opinion.

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donwillymo writes:
on Mar 27 2008 07:14 AM

Horton going for the threepeat!!! The michael jordan of the box office.

(Reply to this)

HurinThalion writes:
on Mar 27 2008 07:25 AM

My guess is that movie 1 will end with the the dwarves being captured by the elves of mirkwood.

(Reply to this)

donwillymo writes:
on Mar 27 2008 07:26 AM

Hey they're midgets not dwarfs damnit!

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donwillymo writes:
on Mar 27 2008 07:41 AM

they also prefer lil' bastards, shortstuff, or "not normals"...be a little more politically correct hurinthalion, sh't!

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Ashron writes:
on Mar 27 2008 07:52 AM

Well, don't I feel silly. Here I was trying to be logical when we're obviously dealing with someone who's off his meds.

And Hurin, I think an earlier report (three months or so ago) mentioned that the first movie would be The Hobbit in entirety and the second movie would detail the events between The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Sort of a prequel sequel, I guess. Of course, that could all change by the time it actually happens.

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dedalus7 writes:
on Mar 27 2008 07:55 AM

In reply to this comment (#1655218)
"If it ain't broke don't get a new wizard"

Now that is a quote to live by. And I do.

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John Z. Delorean writes:
on Mar 27 2008 08:28 AM

If they're as boring and drawn out as the first 3 count me out although I'm sure guillermo will make them worth watching.

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bigbrother writes:
on Mar 27 2008 09:06 AM

Cool, while they're at it they should see about getting him in the last couple of Harry Potter movies, That series needs a new Dumbledore. although Half Blood Prince does have a scene that will probably be perfect of Gambon's over-emotional Dumbledore.

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donwillymo writes:
on Mar 27 2008 09:15 AM

If guillermo makes it along the lines of Pan's Labyrinth then we're in business. No more of this CG sell-out peter jackson crap! LOTR should have gone to del toro to begin with.

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wingnut171 writes:
on Mar 27 2008 09:31 AM

Funnily enough, the Gandalf part was first offered to Sean Connery. He turned it down because he "didn't understand it", so it went to McKellen. And that's your world-skewing tidbit for the day!

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JamesEarl writes:
on Mar 27 2008 09:35 AM

In reply to this comment (#1655304)
Actually, I believe don was quoting Randal from Clerks II, so if you want to argue about who has the "advantage", you might wanna give Kevin Smith a call and take it up with him.

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Ashron writes:
on Mar 27 2008 10:12 AM

In reply to this comment (#1655693)
Ah, I see. Didn't see Clerks 2 so didn't get the reference, thanks for the clarification. And I might just go over to ViewAskew and tell Kevin what I think, but probably not. ;-)

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donwillymo writes:
on Mar 27 2008 10:12 AM

I wasn't trying to hide the fact that I got it from a movie or make it my own JamesEarl...I just really love that part the way Randall tears these LOTR fheads up, baby! I totally agreed with everything he said in that scene...I was like the only guy in the theater laughing out loud in that scene. I heard these guys crying in the front of the theater after that part was over. LMAO Kevin Smith ****in rocks you cocksmokers.

(Reply to this)