Sir Ian McKellen wants the public to experience life in Middle Earth at a ‘Lord of the Rings’-themed attraction.
The award-winning actor stars as Gandalf in ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ and he’s called on director Peter Jackson to help create a museum for the two film series, which are based on the books by J. R. R. Tolkien.
McKellen, 75, said: "Middle Earth actually is in our hearts. But it is up there on the screen in ‘The Hobbit’. And aren’t the actors lucky to be – more than anybody else, more than the director who’s looking at it on his video screen – we are actually there.
"It is snow falling on our boots, it’s grass under our feet and the wind blowing in our faces. We are actually there. And everybody else wants to be there too and that’s why they ask questions, ‘What was it like to be there?’
"The next development I hope, is that Peter is going to devise not more films but a situation that you can all go to that is as much theatrical as cinematic, a living museum where you have the experience of going into there and being there."
McKellen is very proud to have got to play Gandalf in ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, but recently admitted much of the success he has enjoyed during his career has been down to good "luck".
He said: "I have been so lucky throughout my career … I’ve had friends right throughout my career who didn’t have work, who should have had work … If you genuinely be honest about it all, it’s luck. John Hurt could’ve played Gandalf."
Ian McKellen wants Middle Earth museum
