Ian McKellen Cancels Final Theater Run Performance After Falling From Stage

Sir Ian McKellen is taking off the final three Player Kings performances while recuperating from a stage fall.

By Timothy Adams

Sir Ian McKellen is taking some time off after falling off a stage earlier this week. The X-Men and The Lord of the Rings star had been performing in the West End production of the play Player Kings on Monday when he reportedly fell off the front of the stage during a fight sequence. The play was halted and the audience evacuated while McKellen was attended to, with the star eventually being hospitalized. The rest of Monday's Player Kings performances were canceled for the day. As for the rest of McKellen's scheduled appearances, those will no longer be happening.

Player Kings announced on Thursday morning that David Semark will replace Ian McKellen as Sir John Falstaff in the final three performances, while McKellen recovers from his fall. On the bright side, McKellen is scheduled to return to the Players Kings national tour in Bristol on July 3rd. 

"David Semark will be playing the role of Sir John Falstaff for the final three scheduled performances of Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre in London while Ian McKellen recuperates following his fall on Monday 17 June," the statement reads. "We look forward to Ian returning to the production, which begins a national tour in Bristol on Wednesday 3 July, before visiting Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle."

Ian McKellen comments on stage performance fall

On Tuesday, Sir Ian McKellen took to social media to confirm that he is being treated for injuries sustained from his fall during a performance in Player Kings and that he will make a "complete and speedy" recovery. 

"I want to thank everyone for their kind messages and support," McKellen's post on X (formerly Twitter) reads. "Since the accident, during a performance of Player Kings last night, my injuries have been diagnosed and treated by a series of experts, specialists and nurses working for the National Health Service. To them, of course, I am hugely indebted. They have assured me that my recovery will be complete and speedy and I am looking forward to returning to work. @dobbsCLD"

Is Ian McKellen Retiring?

In recent years, some have speculated that the 85-year-old McKellen will eventually retire, after already having a decades-long career on both the stage and screen. In a 2023 interview, McKellen flat-out debunked the possibility, arguing that he wants to "carry on" in the industry while he is still healthy and able to.

"Retire to do what?" McKellen said at the time. "I've never been out of work, but I'm aware that any minute now something could happen to me which could prevent me from ever working again. But while the knees hold up and the memory remains intact, why shouldn't I carry on? I really feel I'm quite good at this acting thing now."

Will Ian McKellen Return to Lord of the Rings?

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that a new Lord of the Rings movie is in the works, titled Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. With Andy Serkis confirmed to direct and reprise his role as Gollum, speculation has swirled over whether or not some of the other Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit cast members would return for the movie as well. When asked about the possibility of reprising his role as Gandalf, McKellen indicated that he would if he's still "alive."

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"But here is no script, there is no offer, there is no plan." McKellen added.

Photo credit Joe Maher/WireImage via Getty

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