Gandalf is the wizard played by Ian McKellen in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, adapted from J. R. R. Tolkien's novels, and his warnings often mark moments when danger draws closer to the Fellowship. Short clips of his voice became popular on soundboards and in fan edits because the performance is instantly recognisable even without a picture. The line works as a shorthand for impending trouble, so creators reuse it whenever a scene needs tension before a reveal, keeping it in circulation long after the films' original releases.
About this sound
Gandalf's dramatic warning 'they are coming' from The Lord of the Rings, used in reaction videos, edits and memes when danger or an unwelcome arrival approaches.
The clip captures Gandalf delivering a short, urgent warning in a low, grave voice, with the emphasis falling heavily on the approaching threat rather than on any explanation of who or what is coming. The delivery is tense and foreboding, rising slightly in intensity before cutting off, which leaves the listener waiting for what follows. That unfinished feeling is what gives the sound its power in edits, because it can signal danger, a deadline, an awkward arrival or a plot twist without needing any visual context. Played on its own, it feels cinematic and dramatic, like a moment of dread just before something important happens.
