Sir Ian McKellen has expressed an interest in reprising the role of Gandalf in the new Lord Of The Rings series.

Amazon were confirmed to be adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels for TV last month. Executives involved in the deal have also said the new series will offer the potential for spin-off shows.

McKellen appeared on Graham Norton’s BBC Radio 2 show earlier today (December 16) alongside Jenny Seagrove, who he appears with in the West End version of The Exorcist, as Digital Spy reports. Asked if it was going to be annoying to have another Gandalf around, McKellen replied: “What do you mean, another Gandalf?”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owq_aBJ9G6Q

He added: “I haven’t said yes because I haven’t been asked. But are you suggesting that someone else is going to play it? Gandalf is over 7000 years old, so I’m not too old.”

When the news of the new series was confirmed, Sharon Tal Yguado – Amazon’s new head of scripted programming – said: “The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen,” she said.

“We are honoured to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking The Lord of the Rings fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth.”