"I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide." These iconic words from "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" resonate with fans, and it seems Sir Ian McKellen might once again return as Gandalf. The legendary actor recently revealed that he has been approached to reprise his beloved role in Andy Serkis' upcoming "Lord of the Rings" films.

In an interview with The Big Issue, McKellen shared, "Enthusiasm for 'The Lord of the Rings' shows no sign of abating… I can't tell you any more than that. I've just been told there are going to be more films and Gandalf will be involved and they hope that I'll be playing him."

The 85-year-old actor, who is currently recovering from a fall during a performance of Player Kings in London's West End, expressed uncertainty about the timeline for the project. "When? I don't know. What is the script? It's not written yet. So, they better be quick," he added, highlighting the project's early stages.

Despite his recent health setback, McKellen reassured fans that retirement is not on his horizon. In a separate interview with BBC Breakfast, he confidently stated, "I shall just keep at it as long as the legs and the lungs and the mind keep working." He is currently promoting his new film, "The Critic".

Warner Bros. Discovery announced in May that Andy Serkis will direct and star in two new "Lord of the Rings" films, tentatively titled "Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum". The first of these films is expected to be released in 2026. Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, the original trilogy's co-writers, are set to pen the screenplay alongside Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, who worked on "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim". Peter Jackson, the visionary behind the original trilogy, will serve as a producer.

McKellen's return as Gandalf would be a significant coup for the franchise and for Serkis. McKellen has portrayed the iconic wizard in all of Jackson's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, making him a cornerstone of the franchise.

Reflecting on his recent stage incident, McKellen opened up about the physical and emotional toll it took. During his performance as John Falstaff in Player Kings, McKellen suffered a broken wrist after losing his footing on stage. 

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today show, he shared, "It's emotionally that I've got some residue that I've got to deal with… I said to myself as I tripped and slid off the stage, 'This is the end'. These were the words in my mind, 'This is the end.' And apparently, I shouted out, 'My neck is broken, I'm dying.' I don't remember saying that, so there was a lot going on in my head as the body responded to the fall."

McKellen plans to take the remainder of 2024 off to recover fully, with the expectation that he will return to acting next year, coinciding with the likely start of production for the new "Lord of the Rings" films.

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