Could Gandalf be female in the new Lord of the Rings series?

Could you imagine Lord of the Rings’ Gandalf as a woman? This could be a reality in the Amazon adaptation.

Actress Robyn Malcolm, (Morwen in LotR: The Two Towers), has said how she would love to see the role of Gandolf the Grey as a woman in the latest adaptation of the Tolkien tome.

In an interview with New Zealand magazine Stuff, Robin Malcolm spoke about the new Amazon adaptation, and its lack of female representation saying:

“Those old legends, those old mystical stories, they’re so based within a patriarchal landscape. Why not look at the magic of a matrilineal world where the magical powerhouses are women?”

Malcolm then went on to name her dream choices for the role, and posting a photo on Instagram:

“You need actors who have got gravitas and a real lot of personal power and a bit of brilliant – and they’ll take this in the absolute way that it’s meant – witchy poo energy, which those two have got and I aspire to.”

Judging from her replies it isn’t a popular opinion, however a debate about gender representation can never be a bad thing. The Tolkien trilogy is  such a classic book, and well loved by so many, that such drastic changes in a television series may be too much for some.

On the other hand it would be just ONE adaptation, and if they did choose to go in a more matrilineal concept then naysayers could avoid the series and stick with the Peter Jackson movies.

It is extremely doubtful that Amazon would decide to go in that direction, however, and the company haven’t commented on the actor’s ideas.