Farewell King Lear. Hello Hobbits. An actor’s life can take strange turns. Sir Ian McKellen is wrapping up the American leg of his world-wide tour as King Lear and says he won’t mind returning to the Shire to reprise his role as the wizard Gandalf for a film version of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit if and when that happens. Making The Hobbit has not been an easy task since Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson got into a legal battle with studio New Line Cinema over royalties – a fight that may be close to being settled after a lot of name calling. Playing mad king and wizard easy for Sir Ian McKellen