Ian McKellen will once again don Gandalf’s long robes when he returns as the benevolent wizard in the upcoming two-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.”

The 68-year-old actor confirmed to Empire magazine that he will reprise his Oscar-nominated role from the wildly successful “Lord of the Rings” trilogy directed by Peter Jackson.

“Yes, it’s true,” McKellen told the film magazine.

“I spoke to (director) Guillermo (del Toro) in the very room that Peter Jackson offered me the part and he confirmed that I would be reprising the role,” he said. “Obviously, it’s not a part that you turn down; I loved playing Gandalf.”

Del Toro, who previously directed “Pan’s Labyrinth,” will move to New Zealand for the next four years to work on the two “Hobbit” films.

Jackson will serve as executive producer along with his partner Fran Walsh.

Production company New Line has said the first film will be a straight adaptation of “The Hobbit,” which tells the story of titular protagonist Bilbo Baggins as he journeys to the Lonely Mountain, dwelling place of the dragon Smaug.

The second film will be an original story that picks up from the first movie and leads up to the events of “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first installment of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

Filming for both movies will begin in 2009, with release dates set tentatively for 2010 and 2011.






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