Great spirit returns

New Zealand’s favourite wizard, Sir Ian McKellen will return to the country to reprise his role as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit. McKellen had told Empire before he was cast that he was a very lucky actor and would certainly return to the role if asked. “Encouragingly, Peter and Fran Walsh told me they couldn’t imagine The Hobbit without their original Gandalf,” McKellen said. Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in The Rings, has also been re-cast.