Ian McKellen's Gandalf plays a crucial role in the first half of the film, but memorably appears to meet his end while fighting the Balrog in Khazad-dûm, falling into the depths of the mountain.

By the last movie, it was Gandalf up there on the busses. And I said, 'Well, I might have been in a film I didn't know I'd made.' In Sir Ian McKellen ... me their wretched photos of Gandalf ...

Another said, “Maybe, but no-one could've played Gandalf better than Ian McKellen.” “Throwing a photo of Ian as Gandalf doesn’t really help him look his youngest,” wrote another.