Sir Ian McKellen almost quit role of Gandalf in 'The Hobbit'

Sir Ian McKellen almost gave up on the role of Gandalf in The Hobbit, after filming was delayed several times.

“It wasn’t a simple offer,” the Herald Sun quoted him as saying.

Two years since the 73-year-old actor first accepted the role, Peter Jackson pulled out as director, then replacement Guillermo del Toro dropped out, followed by Jackson getting ill after he got signed again.

“I just had to keep adjusting to the possibility that the film was never going to get made,” he said.

But McKellen decided that he “must do it” for both the fans of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and himself, despite various doubts about returning to the role.

He said that any concerns he had about bringing the wizard back to life vanished as soon as he slipped back into the wizardly robes - along with the beard, moustache and fake nose.

“That was the moment when I thought, ‘Oh, it’s all right. I do still remember the old boy,’” he said.

“The voice came back and there we were. It was a very quick, easy thing to do,” he added.