Peter Jackson took to Facebook to announce that Friday was Sir Ian McKellen’s last day of filming in The Hobbit .
“Seconds ago we finished our last shot with Gandalf (McKellen). The end of an incredible adventure that began in 1999. I’m feeling very sad right now.” the director posted on his page.
This is indeed the end of an era for fans of the fantasy trilogy The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit , in which McKellen plays the wizard Gandalf.
It has been a long, successful partnership between the two men. McKellen joined the cast of Lord of the Rings (LOTR) and played the wizard throughout the trilogy.
Then, when Peter Jackson decided he would film the adaptation of the prequel to LOTR, The Hobbit , McKellen was on board once again.
The British actor was 59-years-old when production for LOTR began production, now he is 74.
The post prompted over 19,000 comments from followers of the page and more than 135,000 likes .
Peter Jackson is known for using social media to communicate with fans and keep them up to date on his productions. Additionally, he makes video blogs and shares multiple behind-the-scenes shots.
Production for the second installment in the trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug , is currently underway in New Zealand, where LOTR was also filmed.
The first installment, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arrived in theaters in December of last year to the delight of millions of author J.R.R Tolkien fans.
The cast and crew spent around a year in 2011 filming the majority of the film, which was originally a single piece.
Director Peter Jackson later announced that there would be three films following the format of LOTR , even though The Hobbit , is only one book.
The second installment in the series, The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug opens on December 13 with Ian McKellen as Gandalf .
[Image via Facebook]