Sir Ian McKellen has been suffering from ill health since falling off stage in June last year.
Now, the beloved actor, 86, has issued a health update after he was forced to cancel one of his public appearances.
Ian was forced to skip Tuesday’s Toronto Film Festival premiere of The Christophers, in which he stars alongside Michaela Coel and Jessica Gunning.
In a pre-taped message played at the event, Ian said he was unable to attend because he was banned from flying by his doctors.
“Better safe than sorry,” he said, according to Variety.
Ian did not disclose what health ailment he was dealing with.
His no-fly update has raised concern about whether Ian will appear in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hunt for Gollum.
The film, which is slated for release in 2027, is due to be filmed in New Zealand from May 2026, and Ian recently teased that he could be making a return to the franchise.
“I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting,” Ian cheekily told fans at an event in London last month.
“There’s a character in the movie called Frodo, and there’s another character called Gandalf.”
He insisted his “lips are sealed” about any other details, fuelling speculation that he and Elijah Wood will be returning to the franchise.
The movie takes place in the 17-year gap between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring.
Given Ian and Elijah starred in both movies, fans are hoping the beloved actors will reprise their roles once again for the upcoming release.
Ian is determined to keep working despite his recent health struggles.
In June 2024, he fell off stage during a performance of Player Kings at the Noël Coward theatre in London.
At the time, Ian revealed the fat suit he had been wearing “saved” his ribs in the shock accident.
“My chipped vertebrae and fractured wrist are not yet healed,” he explained.
“I avoid going out because I’m nervous someone might bump into me, and I’ve been dealing with agonising pain in my shoulders due to the jolt my body took.”
Despite his struggles, Ian said he still “considered [himself] lucky”.
