This is a crushing bit of news, but thank goodness it's not for sure yet. Still, I saw this pop up at cinematical today concerning an interview conducted with Sir Ian McKellen on a New Zealand TV program. The British actor was questioned on his involvement with "The Hobbit" since it's been confirmed that Peter Jackson will return to the directors chair. Even though McKellen had said he'd reprise his role as the kindly, courageous wizard before, now that pre-production is taking forever, he may not be willing to wait.
Naturally, I'm quite distraught along with the rest of the LOTR fanbase. I believe it is safe to say that McKellen's portrayal of Gandalf was the best casting and character in the entire series. He IS Gandalf. I really can't see any other actor taking on the gnarled staff and grey cloak. Like I said before, McKellen hasn't completely rejected the role, he just doesn't want to waste his time. I can understand this. Look at it from his perspective. Actors act and have to keep doing so to make a living and keep their name alive. If he just sits around waiting for production to start and rejecting other roles in the meantime, it may not be good business for him.
But still, I can't imagine "The Hobbit" without him. And if he doesn't return, who could possibly do it? I tried to think about this while I was doing the dishes a little while ago and one name did come up. As crazy as it may seem, I could almost see Gary Oldman doing it. Think about it. He's pretty old and a very versatile actor. The only thing he lacks is the deep, booming voice McKellen could bring out of nowhere. Let's just hope things will get going soon with "The Hobbit" so we won't have to worry.
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