Veteran actor Ian McKellen dismissed rumours of him acting in the new Lord of The Rings film The Hunt for Gollum and said that he would like to give it a shot if were alive by then.

The actor, who played Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s blockbuster JRR Tolkien adaptations, made the statement during a recent interview.

The new film, which was announced a month back, is being developed by Warner Bros with actor-filmmaker Andy Serkis, produced by Peter Jackson, and is scheduled to be released in 2026. It is the first of several planned new Lord of the Rings franchises that will be released by Warner Bros in the coming decade.

McKellen told The Times of London that he’s heard “stirrings in Tolkien land,” and due to his role in Player Kings, he hasn’t “shaved in months.”

“But there is no script, there is no offer, there is no plan,” he added, jokingly answering if he would be interested in reprising his role, “If I’m alive.”

McKellen, who turned 85 a fortnight ago, is one of the most active actors in British theatre today.

The actor celebrated his birthday, May 25, on the stage playing Falstaff in Player Kings, director Robert Icke's over three-hour rendition of Shakespeare's play Henry IV, Part I and Part II.

The actor has played the revered wizard Gandalf in the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003) and its prequel trilogy The Hobbit (2012-2014).