I want to play Gandalf in Tolkien prequels: James McAvoy

London: ‘X-Men: First Class’ star James McAvoy says he would love to play legendary wizard Gandalf.

The character, who features heavily in author JRR Tolkien`s most famous works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, has been made famous by veteran actor Ian McKellen in Peter Jackson`s screen adaptations. McAvoy, 33, said that he would like the role should there be any prequels to the recent films, reported Digital Spy online. Revealing an in-depth knowledge of Tolkien`s work, he specifically referenced the possibility of appearing in something adapted from Tolkien anthology `The Silmarillion`. "It`s a collection of poems and songs that chart the ancient history of Middle-earth. My true geek is coming to the fore, but they`re really, really beautiful stories. "In part of that is the genesis of Gandalf, or Mithrandir, or Stormcrow, or any of his many, many names. Anyway, maybe that`s the one," said McAvoy. ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ is currently at the top of the UK box office, and set a December box office record in the US. PTI