Ian McKellen Returns as Gandalf for The Hunt for Gollum
Ian McKellen has been confirmed to reprise his role as Gandalf the Grey in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, arriving in theaters December 17, 2027. The first look at the actor in character emerged in September 2026.
Ian McKellen is returning to Middle-Earth as Gandalf the Grey for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, the upcoming prequel set to release December 17, 2027.
The first look at McKellen in the role surfaced in September 2026 when the actor appeared in a message to musician Troye Sivan for his music video "Party." In the video, McKellen displayed the iconic grey appearance that Lord of the Rings fans recognize, marking his return to the character after 2014's The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.
The Hunt for Gollum will follow the desperate search for the creature before The One Ring reaches Frodo Baggins. McKellen joins a cast that includes returning performers Elijah Wood as Frodo, Andy Serkis as both director and motion-capture performer for Gollum, and Lee Pace as the Elf king Thranduil.
New cast members include Anya Taylor-Joy as the elf Seren, Kate Winslet as Marigol, Jamie Dornan as the ranger Strider (the pre-kingship version of Aragorn), and Leo Woodall as the ranger Halvard. Viggo Mortensen played the adult Aragorn in the original trilogy.
Sources
- GamesRadar+Secondary publication · recorded Sep 18, 2026The first look at Ian McKellen back as Gandalf in The Hunt for Gollum has been revealed