The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is Two Films, Says Ian McKellen

Sir Ian McKellen broke big news about upcoming The Lord of the Rings film, The Hunt for Gollum. Or, more accurately, ‘films’.

According to the actor, who plays the wizard Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the film will be split into two parts. Previously, it was only confirmed to be one film.

“All I know is that they called me up and said these films were going to happen,” McKellen told British talk show This Morning . “They’re mainly going to be about Gollum, and Andy Serkis who played Gollum is going to direct, and there will be a script arriving some time in the new year.”

Note how McKellen said “films,” prompting the interviewer to ask whether there’s more than one. “I’m told it’s two films. I probably shouldn’t be saying this. But I haven’t read the script and I don’t know when it is, and I don’t even know where it will be filmed. These days I could probably film it all in London, but I’d rather not.”

It sounds promising. Andy Serkis teases cameos galore in Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum .

McKellen was keen to stress he’s not officially signed onto The Hunt For Gollum . His involvement depends on how much he likes the script. “I’ll judge whether I want to go back,” he continued, “but I love to go back to New Zealand. The idea of anybody else playing Gandalf…”

McKellen trailed off after imagining another actor taking over the role, but also floated the idea that it has happened before for another major wizard character, “Don’t forget there were two Dumbledores,” he added.

Ian McKellen on The Hunt For Gollum