Ian McKellen reveals two iconic Lord of the Rings characters will return in new Gollum film

Last summer, McKellen had joked that he would be interested in reprising the role so long as he was still alive when shooting began, but stressed at that stage that no contract had been signed.

Now though, he seems more confident about his return to Middle-earth – as well as that of another major character from the original Lord of the Rings trilogy.

"I hear there's going to be another movie based in Middle-earth, and it's going to start filming in May," he began. "It's going to be directed by Gollum [i.e. actor and filmmaker Andy Serkis], and it's all about Gollum."

The juicy tidbits followed, with McKellen sharing: "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... Apart from that, my lips are sealed!"

The crowd were driven into a frenzy by the stunning reveal, although it does leave fans with one big question: Will Elijah Wood return to the role that made him a global star, or will another actor step into his Hobbit shoes?

Wood himself wasn't referenced in McKellen's comments, so we can't rule out the latter possibility at this stage. Still, particularly in our current craze for nostalgic comebacks, the original actor's return would likely be a strong draw for movie-goers.

Wood has generally sought out smaller-scale projects since completing his work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, with Happy Feet, Wilfred, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and Yellowjackets being highlights.

Earlier this year, he also took a supporting role in horror flick The Monkey, starring Theo James.

Following the announcement of The Hunt for Gollum last summer, JoBlo asked Wood whether he'd be keen to get involved in the prequel film, to which the actor gave a resounding 'yes'.

"It would be pretty incredible," he responded. "I have to say, any return to New Zealand to work with those individuals within the context of that world would be… jumping back into a world that's so beloved and means so much to me."

Here's hoping a formal confirmation follows soon.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is coming to cinemas in December 2027.

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