Veteran Brit thesp Sir Ian McKellen has confirmed he'll be reprising his role of Gandalf in the forthcoming adaptation of The Hobbit, according to Empire magazine.

He said: "Yes, it's true. It's not a part that you turn down. I loved playing Gandalf. I spoke to Guillermo in the very room that Peter Jackson offered me the part and he confirmed that I would be reprising the role."

The Guillermo in question is Guillermo del Toro, who was recently named (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/25/the_hobbit/) as helmsman for two Lord of the Rings prequels slated for release in 2010 and 2011 - the afermentioned Hobbit and an "original story" bridging the 60-year gap between Tolkien's first Middle Earth outing and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. ®

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Hellboy helmsman to direct The Hobbit (25 April 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/25/the_hobbit/
Peter Jackson to lord over 'Rings' prequels (18 December 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/18/peter_jackson_to_exec_produce_the_hobbit/
Ian McKellen keen to reprise Gandalf (15 October 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/15/mckellen_gandalf/