Though he started in theater in England, Ian McKellen has gone on to become one of the most successful and popular actors of all time. His stage background has afforded him a graceful and alluring presence whenever he appears, while he often showcases a tremendous range of talents in a variety of roles.
Along with acclaimed performances in prestige films, McKellen has been a part of some of the biggest franchise films of all time. With more than one iconic role under his belt, his films have a lot of devoted fans. Here are the best Ian McKellen movies, according to IMDb.
10 Gods And Monsters (7.4)
God and Monsters is the only non-franchise feature on this list and it truly earns its place among McKellen's best films. McKellen stars as James Whale, the director of Frankenstein during the final days of his life. Whale deals with his secret life as a homosexual while developing a friendship with his new gardener (Brendan Fraser).
McKellen is amazing in the lead role for which he was nominated for an Oscar. His nuanced and charming performance carries this simple yet interesting story of an artist looking back on his life.
9 X2: X-Men United (7.4)
McKellen returned to his role of Magneto, the powerful and radical mutant leader in the first X-Men sequel. The film follows the mutant heroes who find themselves on the run when a government agency begins hunting mutants.
McKellen showed extraordinary power in this role and gets a show-stopping sequence with Magneto's prison escape. The movie itself expands on the exciting world of the first film, while further exploring the favorite characters and introducing interesting new ones.
8 The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (7.4)
McKellen's second franchise in Middle Earth came to an epic conclusion with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The story continues to follow Bilbo and his company of dwarves as they fight a war to prevent the Lonely Mountain from falling into the wrong hands.
The movie continues the massive scale of this franchise with an incredible battle at the center of the story. It helps to bring Peter Jackson's second franchise to a satisfying and fun end.
7 X-Men (7.4)
McKellen stepped into the role of Magneto for the first time in X-Men. Based on the beloved comic book characters, the film imagines a world where superpowered mutants live among humans. The story follows Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto, two former friends now fighting against each other for mutant kind.
The film helped launch the comic book genre and showed how these kinds of stories can be brought to life. The cast is wonderful with McKellen, Stewart and Hugh Jackman immediately owning their roles.
6 The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (7.8)
The Hobbit adventure picked up with this more action-packed sequel. Bilbo (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (McKellen) and the dwarves continue their journey to reclaim the dwarven kingdom from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).
The introduction of the titular dragon does provide a lot more excitement to the story, as does the introduction of the famous ring. Freeman is funny and lovable as Bilbo, while McKellen is as good as ever as Gandalf.
5 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (7.8)
McKellen and Peter Jackson first returned to J.R.R. Tolkien's world for this kickoff of The Hobbit adventures. The story explores an early adventure for Gandalf and Bilbo, as they set out to help a group of dwarves reclaim their home and fortune.
While many fans acknowledged that the new series fails to recapture the magic and excitement of the Lord of the Rings films, this is a fun return for some of these characters and this kind of epic adventure.
4 X-Men: Days Of Future Past (8.0)
McKellen and the other members of the original X-Men cast got to return to their roles one last time in this ambitious crossover film. When mutants are being exterminated in the future, Wolverine is sent back in time to recruit young Professor X and Magneto to help save them from their fate.
The movie brilliantly ties together the two timelines of the X-Men universe, while telling a thrilling and compelling story. The casts combine effectively and it makes for the franchise's best film.
3 The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (8.7)
The epic Lord of the Rings series continued with The Two Towers. McKellen returns now as Gandalf the White to help Aragon and the heroes defend Helm's Deep from Sauron's forces. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam encounter a creature named Gollum on their way to destroy the ring.
The movie continues to explore this amazing world of Middle Earth and its wonderful characters. It also features one of the most elaborate and thrilling battle scenes in film history. Peter Jackson once again proves to be a master modern filmmaker.
2 The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (8.8)
One of the most ground-breaking and popular film franchises launched with The Fellowship of the Ring. After young Frodo Baggins finds the all-powerful ring, he must travel along with a team of heroes to destroy it once and for all.
McKellen brings a lot of charm and gravitas to the story with his performance as Gandalf, for which he received an Oscar nomination. The overall film is an engrossing fantasy tale filled with humor, horror and thrilling action.
1 The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (8.9)
The massive trilogy comes to an end with the gigantic The Return of the King. As Frodo and Sam continue their quest to Mount Doom, the remaining heroes gather their forces for one final battle against the forces of darkness.
The film is sometimes mocked for its overly long ending, but this is a stunning conclusion to an epic story. The battle sequences are once again breathtaking and the characters (and audience) get the emotional end they deserve.
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