Ian McKellen doesn’t want another actor to play his Lord of the Rings character Gandalf.

The 85-year-old actor, who played Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, isn’t planning to give up the part to another actor for the upcoming film, The Hunt for Gollum.

Discussing the possibility of appearing in the new movie, he told BBC Breakfast, “I’m not letting anyone else put on the pointy hat and beard if I can help it.”

Andy Serkis is set to direct and star as the titular creature in The Hunt for Gollum, which is due to be released in 2026. The instalment will kick off a new batch of films set in J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy world.

McKellen confirmed to the Big Issue magazine that Gandalf will be involved in the new movies.

“Enthusiasm for The Lord of the Rings shows no sign of abating,” he said. “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.”

McKellen first played the wizard in 2001’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and last portrayed the character in 2014’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

The veteran actor is planning to take the rest of the year off to recover after falling off a theatre stage in June.

He is currently participating in select interviews to promote his new movie, The Critic, which will be released in U.K. cinemas on 13 September.

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