Ian McKellen says he has no plans to retire anytime soon following Gandalf news: "I'm not letting anyone else put on the pointy hat and beard if I can help it"

Gandalf in Return of the King — (Image credit: New Line Cinema)

After the surprise news that Ian McKellen will be returning as Gandalf, the legendary actor has confirmed that he has no plans to retire.

"I shall just keep at it as long as the legs and the lungs and the mind keep working," McKellen told BBC Breakfast.

As for his return as the famous wizard, McKellen said: "I'm not letting anyone else put on the pointy hat and beard if I can help it."

"Enthusiasm for The Lord of the Rings shows no sign of abating," McKellen commented recently of coming back as Gandalf. "I can't tell you any more than that. I've just been told there are going to be more films and Gandalf will be involved and they hope that I'll be playing him."

"When? I don't know. What the script is? It's not written yet. So, they better be quick," he added.

In May, it was revealed that Andy Serkis would star in and direct the live-action movie The Hunt for Gollum. Plus, Peter Jackson will be involved, acting as a producer on the project. But, it's so early in the process that further details are unknown at this point, beyond Gandalf's apparent involvement.

Of course, there's also The Rings of Power season 2, which is currently releasing weekly on Prime Video. Depending on who you believe The Stranger is, it's possible that someone else is already playing Gandalf… but that remains to be seen.

While you wait for more Lord of the Rings, check out our guide to this year's most exciting major movie release dates for everything 2024 has in store.

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.