Ian McKellen returning to Middle-earth, and it’s pretty cool to see him back in the role of Gandalf!
Our first look at McKellen’s return as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum has surfaced online, giving fans an early peek at the legendary actor in full costume for the upcoming film.
A short video shared by Tolkien Universe on X shows McKellen after going through hair and makeup, complete with Gandalf’s long gray hair and unmistakable beard. It’s a brief glimpse, but after more than a decade without Gandalf on the big screen, seeing McKellen back in character is a cool sight.
The footage also gives us confirmation that filming on The Hunt for Gollum is currently underway.
McKellen first took up the staff as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001 before returning for The Two Towers and The Return of the King. He later reprised the role throughout The Hobbit trilogy. The Hunt for Gollum will be his first theatrical appearance as the wizard in more than a decade.
Andy Serkis is directing the new Middle-earth adventure while once again playing Gollum, aka Smeagol. Production officially kicked off earlier this year, and Warner Bros. previously released footage of Serkis performing as the character in a motion-capture suit.
Several familiar faces are joining McKellen and Serkis. Elijah Wood is returning as Frodo Baggins, and Lee Pace will once again play Thranduil.
The movie is also bringing some new blood into Middle-earth. Jamie Dornan will play Strider, a younger version of Aragorn, the character originally played by Viggo Mortensen. Leo Woodall has been cast as a new character named Halvard, while Kate Winslet will play Marigol.
The screenplay comes from Arty Papageorgiou, Phoebe Gittins, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens.
There’s still plenty we don’t know about how this particular journey through Middle-earth will play out, but McKellen playing Gandalf again brings an excitement to the whole thing.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to hit theaters on December 17, 2027.
