Ian McKellen Confirms Gandalf and Frodo Return in the New Lord of the Rings Film?

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Fans of the Middle-earth universe around the world were recently thrilled with an important announcement about the new movie of 'Lord of The Ring'.

Sir Ian McKellen, the iconic actor behind Gandalf, indirectly confirmed the Grey Wizard's return alongside Frodo in the latest Lord of the Rings film, 'The Hunt for Gollum'.

McKellen's announcement at a fan event in London sparked widespread speculation about whether he and Elijah Wood would reprise their roles.

The film, to be directed by Andy Serkis, who is known for his role as Gollum, is scheduled to begin production in May 2026.

Public enthusiasm is high given that The Hunt for Gollum will be produced again by the core team behind the original trilogy, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens.

🚨BREAKING: Sir Ian McKellen confirms that Frodo returns in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ movie coming out in 2027 pic.twitter.com/wHqPjbFkKH

— Lotr Universe (@Lordoftheringsu) August 17, 2025

At the “For the Love of Fantasy” event in London on August 17, 2025, Sir Ian McKellen made a sensational statement.

In front of thousands of fans, he hinted at the appearance of two central characters, Gandalf and Frodo, in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

 "I hear there's going to be another movie based in Middle-earth, and it's going to start filming in May. It's going to be directed by Gollum, and it's all about Gollum," McKellen teased at the For the Love of Fantasy fan event in London on Sunday. 

McKellen jokingly stated, "I'll tell you two secrets about the casting: There's a character in the movie called Frodo, and there's a character in the movie called Gandalf," he said. 

Smiling to himself as the crowd gasped in amazement, McKellen joked, "Apart from that, my lips are sealed!"

While McKellen didn’t explicitly mention that he and Elijah Wood would reprise their roles, their presence alongside the rest of the original Lord of the Rings cast, including Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan.

McKellen himself had previously expressed interest in reprising his role as Gandalf.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will be directed by Andy Serkis, the actor best known for his portrayal of Gollum through motion capture technology.

Serkis will also reprise his iconic role, adding new depth to Gollum's story.

The production team behind the success of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, will serve as producers.

Their involvement ensures quality and fidelity to J.R.R. Tolkien's legacy.

Production is scheduled to begin in May 2026, with a release date set for December 17, 2027.

In June, Serkis told Collider, "We're very early on in the process. We've been talking about the film over the course of the last year. We’re about to start a period of prep in the next few months or so. We will be shooting in the early to mid-part of next year, I guess, and then it'll be as long as it takes to shoot, which — it's a sizable movie — all ready for a December 2027 release."

The Hunt for Gollum's storyline will take place between Bilbo's birthday party and before the events of the Mines of Moria.

The story will focus from Gollum's perspective, following his journey as he is hunted by Gandalf, Aragorn, and the Dark Lord Sauron.

Gandalf's involvement in the hunt for Gollum will be a key element explored in the film.

Do you think Ian McKellen will reprise his role as Gandalf in the new movie of Lord of The Ring?