McKellen Gandalf. Again.

Stand easy geeks, freaks and people who just generally need a little more sunlight in their lives. Sir Ian McKellen WILL be playing Gandalf in the forthcoming film of The Hobbit.

Well, he already had the hat and the staff...

It's always good to get a little continuity in these things, so we're delighted at Empire's story that our favourite camp knight will be donning the false beard once more for Guillermo Del Toro's film of JRR Tolkien's classic tale of Middle Earth shortarses.

'Yes, it's true,' boomed the thesp. 'It's not a part that you turn down. I loved playing Gandalf.'

Spanish horror legend Del Toro will be making two films in fact. Initially we figured this would be a Peter Jackson-style split of the source novel. But no.

Slightly worryingly, the first (due 2010) will be Tolkien's tale and the second (for 2011) will be an original story revealing what happened in the 60 years between the end of The Hobbit and the beginning of the Rings.

Knowing Hollywood as we do, it'll probably be a rom com. Or involve Bilbo being forced to look after a small child.

'As to how it's going to work over two films and what going to happen on screen, well Guillermo has not got down to working out the major details yet,' admitted Sir Ian. 'I can tell you it's going to be amazing though,' he added.

We hope so. It should be more Pan's Labyrinth than Daddy Day Care but hey, it's Hollywood, so the accountants will no doubt have their input.

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