Gandalf the Grey’s final moments fromThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ringget recreated in a stunningly-realized new cosplay. Serving as an adaptation of source material from J.R.R. Tolkien, Peter Jackson’s debut installment in hisLord of the Ringstrilogy chronicles the first leg of the journey in Frodo Baggins' (Elijah Wood) epic quest to destroy the One Ring.Ian McKellen’s Gandalfplays 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.
This iconic Gandalf moment fromThe Fellowship of the Ringnow gets recreates with some impressive camera effects in a newLord of the Ringscosplay from@gandalfcosplayon Instagram. The post seemingly features the cosplay artist using some creative perspective shifting while lying on a rocky ground to make it look as if he were holding on for dear life above a massive hole in the Earth.
The post even includes the caption"Fly you fools!" which marks Gandalf the Grey’s final words to the Frodo and the Fellowshipbefore he lets go of the rocks and tumbles into the darkness with the Balrog. Check out the cosplay below:
What The Gandalf Cosplay Means For Lord Of The Rings
The Franchise’s Next Steps Explained
It’s now been more than 20 years since Gandalf fell into the caverns below Moria inFellowship of the Ring, but the moment remains one of the most iconic from the trilogy.The cosplay above speaks to the enduring love that exists for the franchiseand helps to explain its current direction. After Jackson seemingly concluded his time in Middle-earth with theend ofThe Return of the King(2003), he eventually returned to make his more divisiveHobbittrilogy. Now, his vision of Middle-earth is set to return once more.
What Gandalf Says To The Balrog In Lord Of The Rings (Meaning Explained)
Gandalf’s “You shall not pass” is an iconic Lord of the Rings line, but what else does he say to the Balrog when facing him in the Mines of Moria?
As Prime Video’sThe Rings of PowerTV show continues to exist on its own,the braintrust of Jackson, Philippa Boyens, and Fran Walsh are plotting a return to Middle-earth withThe Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Jackson is set to produce the project, which will hail from Gollum actor Andy Serkis, with a story set during the events ofFellowship of the Ring. The door is now open for a return from originalLord of the Ringscastmembers, including McKellen, who toldThe Timesof reprising his role: “If I’m alive.”
As can be understood from Tolkien’s source material, the story ofThe Hunt for Gollumwill follow Gandalf and Aragorn as they attempt to find Gollum before he can tell Sauron of Frodo.
Our Take On The Gandalf Cosplay
Love For The Original Trilogy Persists
Even two decades later, Jackson’sLord of the Ringstrilogy is rightfully hailed as a masterpiece of fantasy filmmaking, and something works in the genre continue to be compared against.The Rings of Powerhas been divisive and the recently-releasedThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim(2024) was a major box office flop. The pressure is on, then, forSerkis’The Hunt for Gollumto succeed and recapture the magic of the original trilogy, delivering moments that will eventually be cosplayed decades down the line.
It also raises questions, however, about whetherThe Hunt for Gollumwill end up being more than just a play on viewers' nostalgia due to its planned story and setting.
On its own, the cosplay above is an impressive work of creativity, both in terms of the makeup and costuming, but also the photography and effects. It also raises questions, however, about whetherThe Hunt for Gollumwill end up being more than just a play on viewers' nostalgia due to its planned story and setting. Regardless of what comes next, it’s clear that love for the originalLord of the Ringstrilogy and its characters remains as strong as ever.
