"Gandalf is over 7,000-years-old. So I'm not too old."

Sir Ian McKellen has not been asked to return as Gandalf in Amazon's upcoming series adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's novels. It's possible they have no interest in bringing back Gandalf in what's planned as a prequel to Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." But if they do have someone play Gandalf, Sir Ian would expect to be the first call.

McKellen was on Graham Norton's radio show over the weekend, and Norton asked McKellen if it would bother him to see another actor as Gandalf. McKellen was appalled: "What do you mean, another Gandalf?" He continued, "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 7,000-years-old, so I'm not too old."

Hear, hear! Sure, in a prequel you'd expect Gandalf to be younger, but they could make him younger with visual effects -- or just leave him as he is. Who would complain?

According to Deadline, this new LOTR prequel series is being produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust; HarperCollins; and New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which produced Peter Jackson's blockbuster LOTR and "The Hobbit" movies. McKellen is already part of that franchise family. So ... why not?

[Via: TheWrap]

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