We’re all pretty excited to see the big-screen version of The Hobbit when the first third of the film hits theaters later this year.
But would we have been excited if one of the major players from the original Lord of the Rings trilogy took a pass on the film?
We may never know–and thankfully, we don’t have to. Sir Ian McKellaen reveals that he considered passing on the chance to reprise his role as Gandalf for the prequels.
“It was a little like going back to something that wasn’t necessarily going to be particularly challenging. Gandalf is still inside me, as it were, so the business of getting to know a new character–I was sort of going to be robbed of that,” he tells the Hollywood Reporter.
However, McKellen eventually decided to come back out of his respect for the fans.
“You felt, how many millions of people are waiting for it? They wouldn’t understand if you weren’t as keen as they were … Peter Jackson and I much prefer Gandalf the Grey, who was a man who did manage to enjoy himself,” he says.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled he came back for The Hobbit, but noone can tell me the extra truckload or two of cash parked on his front yard didn’t sway his decision.