The Lord of the Ringsmay well welcome Ian McKellen back to his role as Gandalf, and withLord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2teasing its own Gandalf appearance, there could be two versions of the iconic Wizard on screens at the same time. Ian McKellen’s first appearance as Gandalf was in 2001’sThe Fellowship of the Ring.Since then, he has appeared as Gandalf in six movies, all produced by New Line Cinema and WingNut Films, with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures also co-producingThe Hobbittrilogy. And he may yet appear in another, promising interesting parallels with Amazon’s show.
Peter Jackson’s legendaryLord of the RingsandHobbittrilogiespopularized the archetype of the wise old Wizard, inspiring legions of future filmmakers. They also brought high fantasy pioneer J.R.R. Tolkien’s influential character to a global audience, inspiring millions with a powerful message of hope prevailing even in the darkest of times. Ian McKellen’s appearance as Gandalf in both these trilogies was one of their core pillars, along with Frodo and Aragorn, and the rest of the Fellowship to a certain extent. So, the Amazon show will have to navigate McKellen’s influence if it portrays Gandalf.
Ian McKellen’s Return Sets Up A Gandalf Battle Between Movies & TV
Rings Of Power May Feature Gandalf
The upcomingLord of the RingsmovieTheHunt for Gollumhas approached Ian McKellen about starring as Gandalf, meanwhileThe Rings of Poweris dropping hints that one of its original characters is actually Gandalf. AndySerkis announced a newLord of the Ringsmoviefor a release in 2026, roughly, which he will direct and star in as Gollum. The movie will dive into Gollum’s psychology, likely showing many events from his perspective. But it will also cover Gandalf and Aragorn’s search for Gollum in the Third Age. Meanwhile, the Stranger may beRings of Power’sGandalf, ensuring that the character has a prominent role in both stories.
Amazon Prime is now streamingThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 1 in full and season 2 airs every Thursday, with episode 4 out on July 20, 2025.
The expansion ofThe Lord of the Ringsuniverse has profound implications for several characters' futures. However, while competing portrayals of figures like Elrond and Galadriel have been allowed to breathe because of the distance between different projects, bothThe Rings of PowerandThe Hunt for Gollumwill broadcast at basically the same time. Given the movie’s decision tobring back McKellen’s Gandalf, this will only accentuate the differences between the two versions of the character, potentially creating a conflict within the franchise.
The Rings Of Power’s Stranger Can’t Compete With Ian McKellen As Gandalf
Ian McKellen’s Gandalf Is Legendary
The evidence is growing thatthe Stranger may be Gandalf inThe Rings of Power. From the Stranger using Gandalf lines that are famous from Tolkien’s book and Jackson’s movies to picking up a staff and slamming it into the ground, the foreshadowing is coming thick and fast.The Stranger fell from the sky, having lost all memory of his identity, presenting viewers with the mystery box of his identity, the same way that the show teased Sauron’s identity in season 1. However absorbing the show’s Stranger may be, McKellen is the definitive Gandalf.
There are instances of newer TV adaptations that put forward the best possible version of a story’s character, switching many people’s mental idea of the character from the historical movie version to its own. For instance, Lestat in AMC+‘sInterview with the Vampire. But Tom Cruise’s movie Lestat had room for improvement, and Ian McKellen’s Gandalf doesn’t. Daniel Weyman is putting in a great turn asthe Stranger inRings of Power, but if McKellen returns, it is all but inevitable that the original will overshadow his performance.
Ian McKellen’s Movie Return May Alter The Rings Of Power’s Stranger Story
The Rings Of Power May Be Reconsidering
Rings of Poweris working on season 3, with renewal not yet confirmed, sothe Amazon show may be incorporating news of Ian McKellen’s possible return into its plansfor the new season. Season 2 may or may not reveal the Stranger as Gandalf. Even if it doesn’t get round to it, leaving it to season 3, it’s fairly unlikely that the Ian McKellen news would dislodge such a central tenet of its core plan as the Stranger’s identity, bearing in mind this will have been decided years ago. It may, however, encourage the show to reconsider whatever comparisons may be in store for the two Gandalfs.
…it’s fairly unlikely that the Ian McKellen news would dislodge such a central tenet of (the show’s) core plan as the Stranger’s identity, bearing in mind this will have been decided years ago.
Rings of Power’s Durin III actor, Peter Mullan, said: “when you walk on that set, all that hits you is the terror that you’ll never be able to justify your presence there,” a sentiment that Daniel Weyman may experience in light of Ian McKellen’s return (viaThe Hollywood Reporter). However, when asked about the upcomingLord of the Ringsmovie, showrunner J.D. Payne was unbothered, declaring: “Middle-earth is vast, and we feel like there’s room for everyone on the table… we love the Peter Jackson films, so I think we’ll be excited to see it as fans” (viaThe Hollywood Reporter). This suggests that, as far as Payne is concerned, there is capacity for both versions to coexist.
Source:The Hollywood Reporter
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
