McKellen, 85, told The Big Issue: “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. When? I don’t know. What the script is? It’s not written yet. So, they better be quick.”

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to hit cinemas in 2026.