Sir Ian McKellen talks Hobbit films and X-Men Origins: Magneto

Empire Magazine chatted up Sir Ian McKellen at the San Sebastian Film Festival recently about his involvement with The Hobbit, as well as the fate of the X-Men. The distinguished actor was attending the event to accept a lifetime achievement award.

Regarding The Hobbit: It’s been established that McKellen would reprise his role as Gandalf for Guillermo del Toro’s Lord of the Rings prequel two-pic epic. But the actor added additional info surrounding the status of the films and his participation.

“The scripts for the two films will be delivered very soon…Then they’ll be budgeted, and then they’ll be cast. And they’ll be going when they’ve always said they would be, which is next spring – March or April. Guillermo even told me at one point, ‘We’re going to film for 383 days.’ He’s got that artistic autism! Jackson’s the same; they’re very, very, very alike.”

Regarding speculation that other Lord of the Rings cast members will make cameo appearances, McKellen could only confirm Andy Serkis’ (Gollum) participation.

“Andy Serkis is, at the moment, I think, the only other actor who’s doing this film,” said McKellen.

Empire also asked McKellen what he knew of the status of X-Men Origins: Magneto prequel movie, to which he replied:

“There’s meant to be a Magneto script floating around, but I’ve not read it, so I suspect it wouldn’t involve me,” he said. “I think it would be about the younger Magneto, and the most I could hope for would be to top and tail that. They can’t have someone whose face is as lined as mine any longer!”

CLICK HERE to read the entire interview.