Stage and screen star Ian McKellen has reads the script for the upcoming "The Hobbit" films, and he has revealed to Sci Fi Wire that producer Peter Jackson and his co-writers, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, have shaped the Gandalf character in screenplays specifically for him. McKellen dished about the scripts while promoting AMC's "The Prisoner".
"As Peter has said, they loved writing Gandalf for The Hobbit because they knew who they were writing him for," the actor will be reprising his role as Gandalf in the motion picture. "There are a lot of characters in The Hobbit including, crucially, Bilbo, and they don't know who's going to play Bilbo. So it's extremely attractive that this part has been written for me."
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"The Hobbit" is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's novel of the same title and is planned to be made into two-part movies. The first of the two films is scheduled for December 2011 U.S. release, while the second "The Hobbit " is expected to hit theaters a year later.
Sir Ian McKellen has appeared on Broadway in Dance of Death, Ian McKellen: A Knight Out at the Lyceum, Wild Honey, Ian KcKennel: Acting Shakespeare, Amadeus, and The Promise. Long known as a Shakespearean actor with the U.K.'s National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company, amongst other high profile establishments. He has appeared in over 250 productions, garnering multiple Tony and Olivier Awards. In 1979 he was awarded the Commander of the British Empire for his services to drama. He has recently attracted wider fame and attention for his portrayal as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and as well as for his role as Magneto in the popular X-Men films.
