Although the two-film prequel to the Lord of the Rings is still very much up in the air Ian McKellen has received a nice message from Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. They have said that they could not imagine the new films without their original Gandalf. McKellan is obviously pleased to hear this news and has kept his diary free for 2009.

McKellen did a fantastic job in the role and though certain parts of the film may have left lovers of the book slightly miffed, Gandalf was superb throughout and a credit to JRR Tolkien’s work.

Sir Ian McKellen is becoming a bit of a national institution in the fantasy genre. His narration of Michelle Paver’s Chronicles of Ancient Darkness is possibly the best I have ever heard. His voice is simply perfect for magical tales and he creates an atmosphere like no other actor can.