Robyn Malcolm has welcomed the "massive" news Amazon studios will film and produce a new Lord of the Rings series in New Zealand - but thinks Gandalf should be played by a woman.
The New Zealand actress told Heather Du Plessis-Allan on Newstalk ZB's drive show "we don't need another old dude" to play the wizard Gandalf.
"I think Gandalf should be a woman this time," she said. British actor Sir Ian McKellen played the wizard in New Zealand director Peter Jackson's film trilogy.
![Robyn Malcolm thinks the new Lord of the Rings series should put a different spin on the story. Photo / NZ Herald](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/6OR5UTMDSVWS6N4I427FWYG75Y.jpg?auth=385336d4d869b3fa5c41d53fcdbde82da6c6397b4520ad054e3a9eabb4caa277&width=16&height=24&quality=70&smart=true)
"We've had enough of old wizards, Ian McKellen did a beautiful job...why not have Judi Dench? Or actually an old Maori kuia would be a fantastic direction to take."