Elijah Wood doesn't want anybody else to play his The Lord of the Rings character Frodo while he's "alive and able".
The actor, who is best known for playing the hobbit Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's film trilogy between 2001 and 2003, does not want anybody else to inhabit the character while he's still alive and actively working.
"I certainly wouldn't want anybody else to play Frodo either as long as I'm alive and able," he told Britain's The Times. "And I can also recognise what fun that is going to be - when you are in the cinema and you see the hat turn around and it's (Ian McKellen as) Gandalf. Because I'm also a fan, and excited to see how it all comes together."
Wood, 45, echoes comments made by McKellen, who previously insisted that he could not allow anyone else to play his famed wizard character, Gandalf.
In fact, the 86-year-old has already revealed that he will return as Gandalf in Andy Serkis's upcoming film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which will be set between the end of The Hobbit and the start of The Lord of the Rings.
When asked if he will be back too, Wood played it coy, saying, "It hasn't been officially announced, but at a convention last August, Ian sort of let the cat out of the bag. So there is a good chance. I'm not able to officially say anything until it's announced, but I will say I'm thrilled with the prospect of another film."
He continued, "It's always a little nerve-racking when people talk about new movies for a world like Middle-earth. Everyone gets a little protective and hopes it retains its level of integrity, but this story is fun, thrilling. There is a genuine feeling of getting the band back together."
Although he has been closely associated with Frodo for more than 20 years, the Deep Impact star has never felt that the success of the series was "a hindrance" to his career.
"It was not as if I was only getting offers to be in fantasy films," he stated. "More than anything, it provided me with opportunity on a simple awareness level. It has only felt like a gift in my life."
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, in which Serkis returns as Gollum via motion capture, is set to be released in December 2027.
