Ian McKellen isn’t the only person to ever play Gandalf (and we defy anyone but the most dedicated Ralph Bakshi fan to name his voice actor in that animated movie), but he certainly made the role his own—and not just because he played that particular wizard in six movies and five video games. Now, though, with Amazon preparing a new Lord Of The Rings prequel series, it seems likely that some other old man is going to be putting on Gandalf’s robes and floppy hat. No casting details have been announced for Amazon’s show, but McKellen seems a little offended that Amazon would even consider giving the role to someone other than him.
Speaking with Graham Norton on his Radio 2 show (via Digital Spy), McKellen was taken aback by Norton’s suggestion that there might be “another Gandalf in town.” McKellen responded by asking what Norton meant by “another Gandalf,” prompting the host to ask if that meant he was taking part in the show, but McKellen says he hasn’t even been asked yet. He doesn’t specifically say that he wants to reprise his role on Amazon’s prequel, but he does note that he’s canonically still young enough to play Gandalf since the character is “over 7,000 years old.”
Andy Serkis has already said he doesn’t want to play Gollum, but McKellen would at least appreciate a call.