As a fantasy fan, one of the most exciting movies in production right now is The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. The title on the 2027 movie schedule will see Andy Serkis return as Gollum alongside a mix of returning and new cast members. One of the actors joining Middle-earth for the first time is Anya Taylor-Joy. So, of course, we had to bring up the casting when CinemaBlend chatted with her.

Anya Taylor-Joy Reacts To Joining Lord Of The Rings

Anya Taylor-Joy will be playing the role of Seren, who is an elf. The actress has described her as a "trusted and lethal agent" who works under Lee Pace’s King Thranduil. (Move over, Legolas!) Here’s how she reacted to the casting in our interview:

The 30-year-old started smiling from ear to ear when I brought up her next project. It happened while we were chatting about her new TV show, Lucky, now streaming for those with an Apple TV subscription. Check out the moment below:

Obviously, she can’t say too much about the new LOTR movie, but her excitement certainly says a lot about what she’ll bring to the role. When talking to Variety, Taylor-Joy said she was about to read the books after officially falling in love with the original movies during the COVID-19 lockdown. She also said that if her “tombstone can say ‘Lethal Elf’” she’s done a “good job on this planet.” The Queen's Gambit star also said she’s been an elf her “whole life,” so her being part of this movie just makes sense.

What Else Is Going On With The Hunt For Gollum?

If you’re just catching up on the new Lord of the Rings movie, there’s more to say. Andy Serkis is actually directing it himself whilst working with the team of producers and crew from the original films over in New Zealand. (Yes, including Peter Jackson).

We also know that Ian McKellen’s Gandalf is officially back along with Elijah Wood’s Frodo Baggins and Lee Pace’s King Thranduil. The movie is also bringing in Kate Winslet, Jamie Dornan and Leo Woodall to Middle-earth for the first time.

The Hunt for Gollum just started filming last week, too. Here’s the first video from set:

Between this and the fact that Rings of Power Season 3 is on the way, it’s a good time to be a Lord of the Rings fan! Anya Taylor-Joy is going to fit right into Middle-earth, and we can’t wait to return for the first live-action LOTR movie in over a decade. The Hunt for Gollum is set to be released on December 17, 2027.

By now, Stephen Colbert is off The Late Show and likely living large. I like to picture him sitting in plaid pajamas with a tea (yeah, he’s a tea guy) and maybe a real-life throwback newspaper, but I honestly have no idea if he’s even really been home yet given he was going straight to his brother’s wedding after the show wrapped on the 2026 TV schedule. One thing we did learn recently? Contrary to popular belief, The Lord of the Rings project actually came about before CBS decided to axe its late night series.

Yes, really. Colbert set the record straight in an interview as he was exiting the Eye Network. He told People a tidbit we did know about the project, which is that he’s writing it with his kid. However, he also mentioned this is something he’s actually been working on since Covid days.

That’s kind of good news, I think? If he and his kid have been tinkering with a script for something like five or six years, I’d hope it’s much further along than I would have guessed based on Peter Jackson’s March announcement. The only thing that is giving me a small amount of pause is that it’s a lot of years to be working on one script.

Of course, the man was doing this while working a full time, and very demanding job on network television. If you needed further evidence of how demanding said job is, he was taking a break with a literal “sock over” his eyes before the night in question's show when his agent broke the cancellation news. He’s so tired in the office he had to nap before filming? Maybe things worked out for the best.

Those who have watched Stephen Colbert in any capacity have known he’s a giant Lord of the Rings fan for years. I think he was super curious to talk to Ian McKellen about not having read the LOTR books when he appeared on his show back in February. (McKellen has told several very funny stories previously on this topic.) The two were able to have a spirited chat about him landing the role and his elvish tattoo and more.

It’s felt like a nice way to close one chapter and open another, and it’s still super cool that Colbert got the idea in the first place from SNL alum Bill Hader. Hader went to write for South Park after wrapping on SNL and spent a year honing his writing skills there. LOTR is already near and dear to Colbert’s heart, and I think it’s a great fit, but I’m even more pleased this is something that’s been in the works for a while.

Hopefully that means it’s closer to fruition than we think. Hopefully.

When you’re a kid on the playground, the “my dad could beat up your dad” game is practically a rite of passage. When you grow up into a film nerd, that same energy just gets transferred to your favorite characters. So, naturally, we must ask: Who would win in a fight between two of the greatest beards in fantasy cinema, Dumbledore or Gandalf? In between his obligations related to the 2026 movie schedule, Ian McKellen shared his take and, honestly, I love it.

One fought a Balrog, died, and came back as a whole different shade of wizard. The other faced down the Dark Lord, making even the most dangerous wizards nervous. It’s anybody’s fight, really but, thankfully, Ian McKellen has now weighed in, and his answer is perfect. During a recent reader Q&A with The Guardian, the actor was asked who would win in a fight between Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings franchise and Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movies. McKellen’s response was short, funny and extremely on brand. He answered:

Honestly, that is the whole case right there. First, McKellen questions the entire premise, which feels correct. Gandalf and Dumbledore throwing hands in some magical parking lot does feel spiritually wrong. These are two old wizards with robes, wisdom and a very specific tolerance for troublesome young people. They should be sharing pipeweed, tea or whatever elder statesmen of fantasy drink when the chosen ones finally leave the room.

Look, I get it. Dumbledore is no slouch. He’s powerful, clever, terrifying when needed and capable of making even the most dangerous people in the wizarding world uncomfortable. The man has presence. Michael Gambon and Richard Harris both brought very different flavors to the character, and either version could probably end a duel before most people finished saying “Expelliarmus.” We’re also getting another take on everyone’s favorite headmaster of Hogwarts when HBO’s book-to-screen adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone hits the 2026 TV schedule later this year, with John Lithgow donning the beard and half-moon spectacles.

McKellen Makes A Strong Case For Gandalf

Still, Gandalf is Gandalf. He is not just a wizard with a wand and a really intense office. He is a being from the older bones of Middle-earth, a guide, a warrior and a resurrected force of cosmic irritation who looked at a Balrog and essentially said, “Not today, basement demon.”

That is why McKellen calling him “the original wizard” works so well. He isn’t literally saying Gandalf predates every wizard ever written, but in pop-culture terms, he is the big-bearded blueprint. The staff. The hat. The cryptic advice. The sudden flashes of power. If Tolkien hadn't given us Gandalf, it's hard to imagine a world with a Dumbledore.

Not to mention McKellen’s relationship with Gandalf has never really gone away. He first played the character across Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, then returned as Gandalf the Grey for The Hobbit movies. Now, he is expected to don the robes and whiskers again for the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which only makes his “Gandy, of course” answer hit harder. The man is not just defending a character he once played, but a wizard he has kept returning to for more than two decades.

That is the energy that makes his answer so enjoyable. McKellen knows the question is silly, but he also understands exactly what people want from him. A little dry confusion. A little Gandalf loyalty. A tiny spark of “fool of a Took” superiority.

Of course, the real answer is probably that neither wizard would want the fight. Dumbledore would try to reason through it, Gandalf would grumble about fools, and somehow a group of teenagers or hobbits would be the real problem.

Avengers: Doomsday is on the way, and fans seem to be hanging on every single morsel of information they can get their hands on. Of course, the cast and crew behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest team-up film mostly seem to be doing a solid job of not saying too much. Yet, a few months ago, Sir Ian McKellen went viral for seemingly dropping a spoiler regarding Magneto (his character) destroying New Jersey. Producer Kevin Feige has since downplayed that notion, and superfan Kevin Smith had a great response.

This past week, Kevin Feige promoted Doomsday at CinemaCon alongside directors Joe and Anthony Russo. All three also took part in some interviews after their presentation at the convention and, at that time, Feige fielded a question about Ian McKellen’s comments during one interview. When asked if New Jersey would be destroyed, he merely said there would be “a New Jersey presence.” That sentiment isn’t too much to go off, but it was enough for Kevin Smith to react by sharing an A+ nod to his own body of work:

Hilariously, the video Smith shared to Instagram showed a report on Feige’s comments, and the Avengers theme music plays in the background. The Alan Silvestri-written music, however, gets cut off by a quick clip of Smith and longtime friend and co-star Jay Mewes in character as Jay and Silent Bob. Smith’s nod to the lovable stoner characters plays on Feige’s mention of a “New Jersey presence,” since the pair appear in the New Jersey-set View Askewniverse.

Both Smith and Mewes themselves are also New Jersey natives, and I love that the former took the opportunity to reference his home state and his own movies using this funny clip. I’d like to think that Feige could also appreciate this gag, given his love of movies and his own connection to “The Garden State.” Feige himself was raised in NJ, so it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Smith’s clip were to get a good chuckle out of him.

Kevin Smith may have jokes, but trust and believe that he has an extreme amount of reverence for what Kevin Feige and co. have done at Marvel Studios. Over the years, Smith has long hyped up the MCU films and showered some major praise on Avengers: Endgame. Smith was also emotional after learning that Captain Marvel referenced one of his most famous films, Mallrats, specifically Stan Lee’s cameo in it. So trust and believe Smith is really looking forward to Doomsday.

On that note, something fans have seemed particularly excited about with Doomsday is the return of the OG X-Men cast, including franchise veterans like McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Rebecca Romijn and James Marsden. Apparently, McKellen was quite a force on set, as the 86-year-old actor’s eagerness to do stunts made Marsden more comfortable with doing them at his own age (52). From a narrative standpoint, it’s looking like the X-Men and Avengers will do battle in the movie, and it should be a sight to behold.

I’d be lying I didn’t have plans to be amongst those who end up seeing Doomsday amid its opening weekend. What I’ll also be looking out for is to see whether or not Magneto actually lays waste to New Jersey. Regardless of whatever that “presence” Kevin Feige is referring to ends up being, I’ll be eager to hear what Kevin Smith has to say about it.

Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on December 18 as part of the 2026 movie schedule. In the meantime, stream other MCU films as well as the original X-Men flicks using a Disney+ subscription.

After the Disney-Fox merger closed in 2019 and Marvel Studios gained the film rights to the X-Men, James Marsden expressed interest in returning as Cyclops if the opportunity were presented. Well, Marsden got his wish, as he and other X-Men alums are returning for Avengers: Doomsday in their full glory! Still, Marsden was initially “worried” about his reprisal for a key reason, but co-star Ian McKellen humorously alleviated his fear.

The last time that James Marsden played Cyclops was a brief cameo in X-Men: Days of Future Past. 12 years later, the Jury Duty star will be kicking butt as he dons Scott Summer's visor again in the highly anticipated Doomsday. Marsden recently discussed the experience with The New York Post, during which he discussed a concern that's very in line with superhero projects:

As shown in the X-Men-centered Doomsday trailer, Cyclops wears his comic-book-accurate blue-padded suit with the yellow chest straps. The way in which the hero blasts those lasers through his eyes in full force looked so epic! So it's interesting to hear that from a behind-the-scenes standpoint, Marsden was a bit concerned about the physicality involved in playing the role. While the Enchanted star eventually got his bearings, it seems that an A+ on-set moment involving Magneto actor Ian McKellen really changed his perspective first:

That’s the way to do it! Seriously, why am I not surprised that the great Ian McKellen (who is 86) was eager to do some stunt work? Funny enough the actor even previously teased a massive moment in Doomsday involving Magneto. I'm ready to see the Master of Magnetism back in action as well as Marsden's Summers.

I can understand why it may have originally been intimidating for James Marsden to jump back into superhero-centric stunt work and fit into his costume for Doomsday. Still, I'm glad to hear that everything ultimately worked out, and that wasn't just the case for him. X-Men co-star Alan Cumming spoke about his experience after he wrapped his Doomsday scenes and said he was able to do his stunt work flawlessly as well.

All in all, Doomsday has a lot of seasoned veterans of the superhero genre within its cast. Thor actor Chris Hemsworth even admitted to feeling like an “elder” millennial on set. Still, it's incredibly exciting that so many of them, including X-Men alums like Patrick Stewart (Professor X) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), are returning.

I can't wait for this movie, and James Marsden's recent tease just makes me more excited. With the hard work Marsden put into his role, I’d like to hope Avengers: Doomsday will do right by Cyclops, portraying him as a strong leader and a formidable fighter. See the character return when the MCU's next team-up movie hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie schedule. In the meantime, stream classic X-Men films using a Disney+ subscription.

Director Peter Jackson has plenty of movies, but few are quite as iconic as the book to screen adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. That trilogy, which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription, is still a beloved piece of film history that's regularly re-watched to this day. But new information about them keeps trickling out. Case in point: Gandalf actor Ian McKellen revealed a funny question he had to ask early onto filming as the beloved Wizard.

The Lord of the Rings movies are a visual treat, and McKellen expertly brought Gandalf to life throughout them. But it turns out that the character's final goodbye to the Hobbit from Return of the King was actually one of his first scenes to work on. In a conversation with journalist Jake Hamilton, the legendary actor offered some context, saying:

Movies are typically not shot in order, but the fact that McKellen started his LOTR journey by working on the last scene of Return of the King is especially wild. He was just starting to bring Gandalf to life, and had to get in the mind set of the character after the twists and turns of all three movies.

Later in the same interview, McKellen went on to share the funny question he asked Peter Jackson while bringing that early scene to life. In his words:

Given how much the Lord of the Rings movies and books mean to people, this story might have folks spitting out their coffee. But since Ian McKellen had only just begun shooting as Gandalf, he didn't necessarily understand the context of his final scene with the Hobbits of The Shire. Luckily he got the information he needed to give a convincing performance.

McKellen has spoken about the challenges that came with the Lord of the Rings movies, which ended up being wildly successful. This amusing story is just the latest. While speaking about his second day of shooting, the 86 year-old actor poked fun at his performance in the sequence in question, saying:

Talk about self-deprecating humor. There are plenty of LOTR fans who might argue about how effective his work was in this scene, but McKellen was the one physically on set. And he seems to be have clocked his own confusion when watching the theatrical cut.

The Lord of The Rings movies are streaming now on HBO Max, and a new title The Hunt for Gollum is on its way. As for McKellen, he's set to appear in the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday, which hits theaters on December 20th as part of the 2026 movie release list.

Ian McKellen has spent more than 25 years portraying one of the most formidable mutants in X-Men history. This year, the legendary actor is set to reprise his iconic role as Magneto in the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, a multiversal crossover years in the making. Details about the 2026 movie release remain tightly under wraps. Still, McKellen may have just let slip a major spoiler, and it’s likely to spark plenty of speculation among longtime Marvel Cinematic Universe fans.

During a recent appearance on Jake’s Takes, shared via the outlet’s official YouTube channel, McKellen was asked a deceptively simple question: over the course of his career, how many different ways has he found to raise his hands as Magneto and make the act of “lifting things” feel fresh and compelling? That reflection led him down memory lane and straight into a moment that likely set off quiet alarm bells at Disney and Marvel Studios:

The Apt Pupil star didn’t elaborate and quickly recalibrated, allowing the host to quickly move the conversation along, but the damage had already been done. New Jersey isn’t exactly a random location in the MCU. It’s been featured in multiple projects, and large-scale destruction is very much Avengers-level business.

McKellen reflected more broadly on his time playing Erik Lehnsherr and how surprised he's been by the character’s popularity. He admitted that he initially assumed Magneto would be viewed strictly as a villain, only to realize audiences connected deeply with his worldview and attitude. On top of that, he also shared a funny take on working with the younger actors in Doomsday:

Of course, one thing Magneto has always excelled at is destroying things (occasionally entire states), which makes McKellen’s “New Jersey” aside especially intriguing. There’s already been chatter about the upcoming Marvel film opening with a major multiversal collision, including rumors of Spider-Man and Wolverine clashing as their worlds collapse into one another. What if that chaos unfolds in New Jersey, and it’s not just Wolvie vs. Spidey, but a larger confrontation involving the X-Men, Magneto included, facing off against Sony- and Fox-era heroes in the Garden State?

It’s pure speculation, but even Marvel’s Doomsday X-Men teaser trailer hints at something massive. The footage shows a visibly worn-down Cyclops mid-battle, firing optic blasts skyward, while the background appears to feature the towering legs of something enormous. Could the legs possibly belong to a Sentinel? If Avengers: Doomsday is planning to open with destruction on a truly operatic scale, it’s not hard to imagine New Jersey serving as ground zero for that first, universe-shattering act.

For now, Marvel Studios has stayed silent, and Sir Ian McKellen hasn’t walked back his comment. That leaves us fans doing what we do best: overanalyzing every offhand remark. Until the film arrives, it’s all just theories. Avengers: Doomsday is currently set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026, and all will be revealed. In the meantime, stream the classic X-Men films using a Disney+ subscription.

It’s far from uncommon these days for a Hollywood studio to announce the return of a beloved franchise to the big screen with new installments, but it was still a shock when it was announced that we would be getting not one, but two new Lord of the Rings movies from producer Peter Jackson. The first planned film, The Hunt for Gollum, will star and be directed by Andy Serkis, but he’s not the only member of the original cast who will be returning.

Last year, during a public appearance, Sir Ian McKellen seemingly spilled the beans by stating that both Gandalf and Frodo would appear in the new movie. Elijah Wood was there at the time and had a smile on his face, though he said nothing. When asked at Fan Expo New Orleans about his “theoretical” return, the actor (via ScreenRant) said…

While Elijah Wood is clearly having some fun with the whole thing, he seems to clearly confirm his return, if a “wizard is to be trusted” without actually saying he’ll be back, likely because if he’s under contract, he’s not allowed to say he’s in it, at least not yet.

One thing Wood can discuss is how excited he is that Andy Serkis will direct The Hunt for Gollum. He thinks it's perfect that Serkis will direct a film focused on the character that he helped create in live-action, and he’s looking forward to the continued expansion of The Lord of the Rings in whatever form that takes. Wood said…

When The Hunt for Gollum was first announced, we were told two Lord of the Rings films were on the way. It’s unclear if they’ll be connected or separate standalone features, but either way, it seems clear that Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings will live on, and while we may not know officially who will be back in the new movies, there will likely be plenty of work for the original cast for any who want to go back to Middle earth.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe consistently treats fans to new content, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. But arguably the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is Avengers: Doomsday, which will be a mysterious multiversal story featuring multiple teams of heroes. Following the teasers with Captain America and Thor, we got a new one featuring the stars of the X-Men movies, but I'm worried about how the villainous Sentinels will look.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday has been limited, but that's changing thanks to the marketing campaign finally kicking off. The Doomsday cast announcement confirmed the X-Men would appear, and in the above clip we got our first glimpse of Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Ian McKellen's Magneto, and James Marsden's Cyclops. The latter seems to have some Sentinels moving around behind him, but will they have a comic-accurate design?

The trailer ends on Cyclops taking off his visor, and letting out his optic blast at full power towards and unseen enemy. Sentinels can seemingly be seen in the background of that final shot, and I'm hoping that we finally get a satisfying design for the giant robots. After all, they've had a storied history throughout the X-Men franchise.

While Sentinels have a long history in the comics and animated projects, they've been somewhat difficult to adapt into live-action. X-Men: The Last Stand briefly featured them in a Danger Room training session, but they didn't get their time in the sun until Days of Future Past. And while the futuristic version of the robots were terrifying, not everyone loved the version of them that appeared in the 1970's story. So Doomsday has the potential to finally bring a satisfying version of the villains to moviegoers who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order.

Sentinels aside, there are a ton of questions about exactly how the mutants will fit into the narrative of Doomsday. Some assume that the universe they occupy will be the one briefly seen in The Marvels' credits scene, where Monica Rambeau met Kelsey Grammer's Beast. But since Teyonah Parris wasn't confirmed to appear in the next Avengers movie, maybe it'll be another universe altogether. Seriously, my head is spinning.

Since the MCU's inception, fans have been hoping to see the X-Men included in the shared universe. Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox finally opened the door for this to happen, and a few projects have peppered in mutants such as Doctor Strange 2 and The Marvels. But Doomsday marks the fist time that the team of heroes will finally be assembled, and fans are curious about exactly how that'll work.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully a full trailer focused on the movie's storyline is released sooner rather than later.

In 2014, the X-Men film series delivered a crossover of sorts with X-Men: Days of Future Past, which combined the casts of the then-current “First Class” movies and the mutant franchise’s original trilogy. As a result, young Professor X actor James McAvoy got to spend time with Patrick Stewart, who reprised the older Charles Xavier, and Ian McKellen, who reprised the older Magneto. During the sixth main X-Men movie’s production, there was a specific moment away from the cameras when McAvoy saw firsthand what made Stewart and McKellen “a different kind of actor” in his eyes.

James McAvoy appeared alongside fellow X-Men: Days of Future Past alum Elliot Page to speak with Happy Sad Confused’s Josh Horowitz a New York Comic Con. The discussion included Page’s work on The Odyssey and McAvoy sharing how the X-Men movies beat the MCU to the punch in a big way, but the latter also recalled the time when he got to spend “a whole afternoon” with Stewart and McKellen. McAvoy came into one of the trailers to see the former cooking and the latter “sitting with his feet up in the recliner,” which led to the following:

I don’t think anyone remotely familiar with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen should be surprised they were able to spout off Macbeth lines off the cuff. These two were both members of the Royal Shakespeare Company and performing in productions penned by The Bard long before they brought Professor X and Magneto to life on the big screen. James McAvoy is certainly no stranger to Shakespeare either, but those Macbeth lines had already exited his mind a few weeks after he played the title role.

Maybe McAvoy will get to a point when he can recall lines from Shakespeare plays with the same ease as Stewart and McKellen do, but regardless, he was impressed seeing them do it. Aside from Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, McAvoy’s Charles Xavier was the only other “First Class” actor in X-Men: Days of Future Past to share screen time with someone from the original X-Men cast. The older and younger Xavier came “face to face” by using Wolverine’s mind as a connection between the past and present, and Stewart’s version convinced McAvoy’s to “hope again.”

Feel free to revisit X-Men: Days of Future Past with your Disney+ subscription. James McAvoy’s next movie, California Schemin’ (which he also directed) premiered at TIFF in September, but no release date has been set yet. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen will be back as Professor X and Magneto, respectively, for the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday, which comes out on December 18, 2026.

Ever since it was announced that fan would be getting new Lord of the Rings movies, the biggest question has been whether or not actors from the previous films in the franchise might appear. With The Hunt for Gollum, it's a given that Gollum himself, who will be played by Andy Serkis, who will also direct, would be present. However, we didn’t know for sure who else might see, or in what capacity. Now, though Ian McKellen has spilled some details.

Ian McKellen appeared at the For the Love of Fantasy fan event in London on Sunday, where he seemingly broke some big news. Speaking to an audience (via EW), he brought up the forthcoming movie, Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, and confirmed the key characters in the movie, saying…

Most of the cast of The Lord of the Rings who've been asked have expressed willingness to return for this new movie. So it was seemingly all but certain that some of them would. I have to say I fully expected one of these names to be announced at some point, but the other…not so much.

Gandalf Returning For The Hunt For Gollum Makes Sense

If there was one character from LOTR who I expected would appear in The Hunt for Gollum, outside of the title character, of course, it was Gandalf. The wizard has never been the “main” character of the franchise, but he is the character who is always at the center of the biggest events, so it would honestly be strange if he, above all, wasn’t in the movie. McKellen was clear that if there was a role for him in the film, he would be happy to return as long as he wasn't dead.

While there’s a lot about The Hunt For Gollum that we simply aren’t sure of, the movie is likely to be about the period at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, where Gandalf was researching the One Ring, which led him to try and track down its previous owner. We don’t know everything Gandalf got up to, but that period in the books lasted years. There’s plenty for him to do.

But, for all the reasons that the return of Gandalf makes sense, the return of the other character does not.

What Is Frodo Going To Do In The Hunt For Gollum?

While having Gandalf return for The Hunt For Gollum makes a lot of sense, I’m breaking my brain trying to figure out how or why Frodo will be involved in the new movie. It’s made fairly clear that throughout the period that Gandalf was doing his work, Frodo didn’t do…anything.

Frodo’s role may be very small, of course. We may see recreations of scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring that Frodo was in, perhaps with some new additions to flesh out those moments. That's basically how Frodo was featured in The Hobbit but, even then, his role shouldn’t be that significant.

Announcing the return of Gandalf and Frodo at the same time essentially puts their roles on par, but if Frodo has a role in the film as significant as Gandalf’s, how does that even work, considering Frodo is supposed to be clueless as to the ring’s importance by this part of the story?

I’m as big a fan of Lord of the Rings as anybody, and I’m certainly hoping this movie turns out good. Yet shoehorning in Lord of the Rings characters where they didn’t need to be, was just of one of the flaws that kept The Hobbit from being as good, and I certainly hope we’re not doing that again.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to hit theaters on December 17, 2027. In the meantime, stream the original trilogy of LOTR films using an HBO Max subscription.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of stories throughout the history of Hollywood of actors turning down roles that later became iconic. We know that Will Smith could have starred in The Matrix, and Tom Selleck was almost Indiana Jones. Careers and movie history would have changed drastically if things had gone a different way.

But the opposite is also true. It turns out that Ian McKellen only had the ability to say yes to two of his most iconic roles after he had turned down another major film. It turns out that McKellen was offered a role in Mission: Impossible 2, but he had to say no. Stepping Through Film recently spoke with the actor who said he was offered a part in the Tom Cruise sequel, but chose to say no. McKellan revealed,

McKellan doesn’t say what the part he turned down was, though the role of pharmaceutical company CEO John C. McCloy, who was ultimately played in the film by Brendan Gleeson, seems like a strong possibility. The most notable thing about McKellen’s decision is that had he been able to see a script, there’s every possibility that he could have said yes to the part.

However, the rest of us were lucky, as the actor says that had he said yes to Mission: Impossible 2, he would not have been available to play his two most iconic roles. He continued:

Gandalf and Magneto are two of those roles that it’s now all but impossible to imagine anybody else playing. Meanwhile, Mission: Impossible 2 is generally regarded as the least popular of the franchise.

The original cast of X-Men is so beloved that Marvel Studios is bringing many of them, including Ian McKellen, back for Avengers: Doomsday. The Lord of the Rings is one franchise that, while it may continue to be expanded upon, it’s hard to imagine anybody ever trying to top Peter Jackson’s films, or the cast that makes them so great.

The “What Ifs” of Ian McKellen’s career don’t stop there, though. It turns out that due to a delay in the production of X-Men, McKellen thought he would have to bow out of playing Gandalf anyway. Peter Jackson, however, wasn’t ready to let him go. McKellan recalls,

Considering the massive undertaking that was the production of Lord of the Rings trilogy, it’s hard to image that anything was done to accommodate a single actor. And yet, it seems that’s what happens. McKellan says he later found himself in a restaurant with Robert Shaye, the head of Lord of the Rings’ studio New Line Cinema, who apparently wasn’t willing to let McKellen go. The actor concludes his story saying,

It’s unclear exactly what needed to be done to allow Ian McKellen to be both Magneto and Gandalf, but whatever it was, it happened. As McKellan says, between luck and people’s kindness, we got two iconic performances.

Some of the most enduring stars got their starts more than six decades ago, and they are still going strong today. Stars like Harrison Ford, Dame Judi Dench, Jeff Bridges, and even Jodie Foster have been acting their whole lives, and their amazing careers will live on forever. Here is our list of amazing actors who started in the 1960s and are still working today.

Robert Duvall

After cutting his teeth with some television appearances starting in 1959, Robert Duvall made one of the most memorable film debuts of all time as Boo Radley in 1962's To Kill A Mockingbird. Duvall hasn't stopped stealing scenes in the 60+ years since. He's starred in some of the greatest movies ever, like The Godfather, and won an Oscar for Tender Mercies. His most recent credit is The Pale Blue Eye from 2022.

Sally Field

Sally Field is truly America's sweetheart. Her breakout role came on the classic TV show Gidget, and she's starred in some legendary movies and TV shows ever since. With roles in movies as diverse as Smokey and the Bandit, Forrest Gump, and Fried Green Tomatoes, Field has proven she can handle any role she takes on.

Clint Eastwood

There are no bigger legends in Hollywood history than Clint Eastwood. Not much has been said here. His career started in earnest with Spaghetti Westerns, and he's been directing and starring in movies ever since.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda is Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Henry Fonda, so it's no surprise that she started her career at a young age. Her first credit goes all the way back to 16960's Tall Story, and she's still starring in movies today, like 2023's 80 for Brady.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman's career really didn't take off on screen until the 1980s (though he had plenty of credits in the '70s, too). He started mostly on stage in the 1960s and kept his focus there until landing a TV gig in 1971 on PBS's The Electric Company. Today, he remains one of America's most beloved stars.

Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine made her film debut way back in 1955 and by the 1960s was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Her star has never dimmed in the decades since, either, with memorable roles in Downton Abbey and the live-action The Little Mermaid in 2018.

Dustin Hoffman

When you burst onto the scene in a movie like The Graduate, as Dustin Hoffman did in 1967, it's pretty much a guarantee you're going to be a star. In the 60 years since that seminal movie, Hoffman has won countless awards and starred in everything from comedies like Tootsie to dramas like Rain Man, getting nominated for Oscars for both (and winning his second for the latter).

Faye Dunaway

If you look at a list of the best movies of all time, you'll notice Faye Dunaway in the credits of many of them. Starting with Bonnie and Clyde in 1967, right up until the 2020s. She took a small hiatus in the teens, but has been back working regularly since.

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell's career started when he was just a kid, often starring in Disney projects. It's even Hollywood folklore that Walt Disney's last words were when he scrawled Russell's name on a piece of paper. Though there is no way to know when the note was written. Still, for the better part of seven decades, Kurt Russell has been a Hollywood superstar.

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (you know they are important when they get a title like "Dame") started in film in 1966, and that was after having already started acting professionally on stage in the UK. She's never stopped, including starring in the recent hit MobLand on Paramount+

Anthony Hopkins

Sir Anthony Hopkins' first credited film role came in the Shakespeare adaptation The Lion in Winter in 1968 alongside Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn. He's since become one of the most beloved actors of his generation and has won countless awards and accolades.

Jodie Foster

If you look at Jodie Foster's credits, you might think she started in the 1970s as a teenager, but she was starring in commercials as far back as 1967 when she was just three years old.

Jeff Bridges

When you have a legend for a father like Jeff Bridges with Lloyd Bridges, its not hard to understand how he got his start so young. His amazing career in the decades since can only be credited to his immense talent, charm, and charisma on and off screen. And that's not, like, my opinion, man, it's a fact.

Rita Moreno

Puerto Rican superstar Rita Moreno can do it all. She can act, she can sing, and she can dance, and she's been dancing into our hearts since she first way back in 1950! For those of you counting, that's EIGHT decades of excellence.

Judi Dench

Like Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Judy Dench started in the theater, especially doing Shakespeare plays. Her first professional stage credits date back to 1957, and right up through the 2020s, she's been a favorite of millions. One of the best actors of her generation, it's crazy she's only won one Oscar (for Shakespeare in Love).

Harrison Ford

The first thing you might think of when you think of Harrison Ford is Star Wars or Indiana Jones. It's true that it was those movies in the late '70s and early '80s that made him a superstar, but his career started humbly with roles in movies like A Time for Killing and Luv in 1967.

Sophia Loren

For more than 70 years, Sophia Loren has been a star in Europe and the United States. She started in her native Italy in 1950 before coming Stateside in 1958 when she signed on to star in movies for Paramount. Before long, she was a superstar on both sides of the pond.

Warren Beatty

Like his co-star in Bonnie and Clyde, Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty has been a star in Hollywood for decades. He's also been discerning in the roles he's taken over the years, so he doesn't have a long list of credits like most of the people on this list. That's not because his star dimmed. He's just particular, and that is something we all strive for.

Barbra Streisand

What can we really say about Barbra Streisand? She's a legendary singer and actor, and she's equally well-known for both. There are few stars as enduring and amazing as "Babs."

Robert Redford

Though he is officially retired now, Robert Redford is still one of the biggest Hollywood stars today (and ever). His career started with early roles on shows like The Twilight Zone, and by the time he hung up his cleats, so to speak, the star of The Natural was one of the biggest stars in the history of the industry.

Blythe Danner

Like many on this list, Blythe Danner started her professional career on Broadway and Off-Broadway in the 1960s. Her first movie credit came in 1972, but by then, she was a seasoned pro. She may be best known as the mother of Gwyneth Paltrow these days, but that is selling her way short, as she's been an award-winning actress for decades.

Al Pacino

Famously, Al Pacino entered the American consciousness in 1972's The Godfather, but he'd been working for a few years at that point, mostly on stage. His film debut was in Me, Natalie, alongside Sopranos cast member Nancy Marchand. He has been widely considered one of the best actors of his generation ever since.

Ellen Burstyn

Though her breakthrough didn't come until 1971 with The Last Picture Show, Ellen Burstyn had been picking up small roles on TV shows for years at that point. She has since gone on to win an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe Award. Not too shabby.

Robert De Niro

When you ask someone who the best actor of the last 60 years is, there is a decent chance Robert De Niro will be the name that comes out of their mouth. For many, many decades, De Niro has been stealing scenes and working his tail off to be the best actor he can be. He's gained weight for roles, dropped weight for others, and gotten completely cut for still others. All the while delivering his trademark charm and skills.

Cher

If you could turn back time and you were taking bets in the 1960s that Cher would still be one of the biggest stars in the world in the 2020s, you would probably get pretty good odds that she wouldn't be. She's proven everyone wrong, winning an Oscar for Moonstruck and continuing to wow audiences with her concerts.

Martin Sheen

It's hard to say just what role Martin Sheen will be best remembered for long after he's gone. Will it be Jeb Bartlett on The West Wing? Captain Benjamin L. Willard in Apocalypse Now? Carl Fox in Wall Street? Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg? What is for sure is that Sheen, who landed his first movie role in 1967, will be remembered fondly by millions of fans.

Vanessa Redgrave

English actress Vanessa Redgrave got her star in period pieces like A Man For All Seasons and Camelot in the 1960s. She parlayed that into a decades-long career that is still going, including a role in Cold Storage in 2025.

Ian McKellen

For modern generations, Ian McKellen is known for his roles as Gandalf the Grey and Magneto, but his career is so, so much more. One of the great Shakespearean actors of the last 60 years, he's been starring on stage and screen since the mid-'60s.

Candice Bergen

Candice Bergen found her biggest fame in the 1990s with Murphy Brown, but her career started way back in 1966 in the Sidney Lumet film The Group. She was a model before that, and has turned in role after beloved role on TV and in films.

Ron Howard

These days, Ron Howard is pretty much sticking just to directing, and he's an ace director to be sure. He famously started his Hollywood career as a kid in the 1950s and became a child star in the '60s as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show. He later starred in Happy Days, before getting behind the camera and becoming one of the great directors of his time.

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn first became a household name in 1968 when she starred in Laugh-In. She's been a star ever since, including starring in a slew of box office hits in the '70s and '80s. There is no question she is one of the funniest actors of her generation, and now she's also the mother to some big stars, too, in Wyatt Russell and Kate Hudson. Not a bad legacy to leave.

Patrick Stewart

Like others on this list, Patrick Stewart will be best known for roles that came in the second half of his career, like Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor X in The X-Men series. Of course, his career is much more than those two roles. It's a career that started in TV in the '60s on British shows like Coronation Street and Civilisation.

While there’s a lot we still don’t know about all the big upcoming Marvel movies, we recently got some big news in the form of the main cast of Avengers: Doomsday being officially confirmed during an epic five and a half hour livestream event. One member of that cast, Simu Liu, recently revealed that, while he, of course, knew that his name would appear, the rest of the names were as much a surprise for him as it was for the rest of us.

Appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Simu Liu talked about how excited he was to be joining the cast. However, who else would be named was apparently news to him. He says he knew nothing about Doomsday beyond his own participation because a couple of other Avengers had ruined it for everybody. Liu said…

Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo both have reputations for having loose lips when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland especially has needed to be handled to avoid spilling the beans. Both actors have a tendency to say more than they should about their movies. Marvel has always been pretty tight with details in order to avoid spoilers from leaking, but it seems the studio is taking zero chances with its own talent.

This meant that the endless stream of chairs was just as wild an experience for Simu Liu because he didn’t know what names would be appearing. By and large, the biggest surprise for fans was the list of original X-Men franchise actors who will be joining the MCU. Liu specifically mentioned two of them that he is very excited about. The Shang-Chi actor said…

One can tell that the idea of acting alongside Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen has Simu Liu more than a little excited.

Of course, if details of Avengers: Doomsday are being kept under wraps, then he likely doesn't know yet if he’ll share a scene with either of them. With so many characters appearing in the film, unless the movie contains an Avengers: Endgame-style final battle that includes literally everybody, then it’s more likely that only small groups of these characters will share screentime together.

We’ll find out what’s going on when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters next year. Hopefully, Shang-Chi and the X-Men get to hang out together for a while.

Today ended up being a big day for Avengers: Doomsday, one of the most highly-anticipated upcoming Marvel movies. Marvel Studios slowly unveiled the cast of Doomsday through showing the names of its actors on chairs, and it turns out that this movie will be a major platform for the X-Men to shine. Following the reveal of Kelsey Grammer reprising Beast, which follows his return to the role in The Marvels, more actors from the Fox-era of X-Men movies have been announced for Doomsday, including Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.

I was already pretty excited for Avengers: Doomsday, much of which is because I’m intrigued to see what’s done with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. However, hearing so many actors who’ve played mutant heroes and villains in the past will also show up has me even pumped about the 2026 flick. Here’s who we can expect to see in Doomsday X-Men-wise:

• Kelsey Grammer - Beast
• Patrick Stewart - Professor X
• Ian McKellan - Magneto
• Alan Cumming - Nightcrawler
• Rebecca Romijn - Mystique
• James Marsden - Cyclops
• Channing Tatum - Gambit

Some of these people already have MCY experience, like Patrick Stewart appearing in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Channing Tatum finally getting to portray Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine after the character’s solo movie was scrapped. Others, like Ian McKellen and James Marsden, haven’t played their characters in well over a decade, if not longer. Alan Cumming takes the prize for the longest gap in reprising his role, as he only ever played Nightcrawler, a.k.a. Kurt Wagner, in 2003’s X2: X-Men United.

Avengers: Doomsday may technically be spotlighting Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but with the amount of X-Men actors confirmed to appear, this might as well count partly as an X-Men movie, right? Still, it’s not surprising that so many of these heroes and villains will appear. The opening up of the Marvel multiverse has allowed for mutants from other realities to appear. Not only that, but mutants have also been introduced into the main MCU reality through Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel and Tenoch Huerta’s Namor, the latter of whom is also confirmed to appear in Doomsday.

Keep in mind that just because these actors are all returning for Avengers: Doomsday doesn’t mean they’ll be playing the same versions of their characters from the older X-Men movies. Just like how the Beast we saw in The Marvels was clearly not the same one from X-Men: The Last Stand, the Professor X, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Mystique and Cyclops appearing could be from other corners of the Marvel multiverse. Maybe they even all live in the same universe as the new Beast. I think it’s probably safe to say, though that the Gambit appearing in Doomsday will be the same one who debuted in Deadpool & Wolverine.

I’m looking forward to seeing how these X-Men characters fit into Avengers; Doomsday when it opens in theaters on May 1, 2026. Meanwhile, remember that you can use your Disney+ subscription to stream the X-Men movies and nearly the entirety of the MCU.

When Sir Ian McKellen performed the first same-sex kiss on British TV in the 1970 BBC production of Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II, he was not yet out. In fact, it would be another 18 years before the Lord Of The Rings icon would come out as gay. Now, decades later, the elder LGBTQ+ advocate is mentoring another man taking on the role of the tortured gay king of England. Additionally, McKellen is sharing some advice for young, gay actors and not just the ones in the aforementioned play.

Every time a big production of Edward II has been put on, it has been a monumental moment for LGBTQ+ rights, somewhat coincidentally. This new Royal Shakespeare company production, starring Daniel Evans and Eloka Ivo, is no different. Even in 2025, there are still actors and other celebrities who won’t come out, convinced to remain closeted. While speaking with The Sunday Times, 85-year-old Sir McKellen made an appeal to those individuals to come out:

These are not empty words from the Richard III star. Within a year of coming out himself, at the age of 48 in 1988, Ian McKellen helped co-found Stonewall, a group that actively campaigns for LGBTQ+ rights. As for his co-workers in the industry, the Da Vinci Code actor has consistently encouraged his acting friends to take the same step he did. Titanic's Victor Garber said it was McKellen who initially told him he should come out, although he didn’t do so until he was older, much like the knighted actor himself.

It just goes to show that Ian McKellen truly practices what he preaches. Not only has he helped give people the confidence to live as their true selves, but he also is one of the first to congratulate his peers when they do come out. The knighted actor was overjoyed for X-Men co-star Elliot Page when he came out as transgender in 2020. McKellen also sent words of support and affirmation to JoJo Siwa, who came out as gay in 2021.

Perhaps the British star's strong words of advice come from people questioning his own decision to come out. He told the Times that Sir Alec Guinness once took him out to lunch and asked the Hobbit actor if he was sure he “should be getting involved in politics.” However, that was never something the Shakespearean veteran was ever concerned about, and he's since jumped at the opportunity to take roles in some of the best LGBTQ+ films and productions of all time.

Sir Ian McKellen and actors like him give me hope for the future of LGBTQ+ rights and representation, especially in the film industry. It’s so important to tell well-represented and accurate queer stories, but it’s even more important to be outspoken about them, like the King Lear actor.

Without these advocates, the film and TV industry would have never progressed to the point where we have openly gay actors like Jonathan Bennet breaking stereotypes on screen and everyday gay characters on TV shows. It’s helped create an environment in which people feel confident to write and pitch queer storylines to major production companies, resulting in a whole list of LGBTQ+ movies to look forward to.

That doesn’t mean the work is done though, and progress made for the LGBTQ+ community in the media is always at risk. All I can say is it’s the right time for a new adaptation of Edward II, and the RSC is certainly lucky to have someone as encouraging and open as Ian McKellen.

Brendan Fraser is certainly an example of an actor who made a remarkable career comeback. After a series of personal setbacks, the American-Canadian gained acclaim in 2022 with a major role in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, which led to multiple other projects on the Brenaissance train. While still "pinching" himself, Fraser talks about the useful career advice that came from former co-star Ian McKellen and it’s truly served him well.

It took Brendan Fraser a long time to make a career comeback, with his Gods and Monsters director Bill Condon speculating the audience was growing tired of his blockbuster trope and would be welcomed again if he returned to a different role entirely. The Mummy actor definitely reinvented himself in his universally-acclaimed role in The Whale, which led to him winning his first Oscar. With the Brenaissance train not losing any steam, the Glory Daze actor said in a Deadline video that the advice his Gods and Monsters co-star Ian McKellen gave him stuck throughout the years and it’s served him well:

That’s truly some sound advice from the Shakespearean actor. You never know where a Hollywood career could take you, nor whether a role could be a breakthrough or one an actor wishes they could forget.

The “first and last time” philosophy surely could have related to The Whale. Brendan Fraser dived into the role of Charlie for the “first time” playing a character he never portrayed before. He worked with obesity advocates to help give his character justice and had to wear a prosthesis and a bodysuit to understand Charlie’s physical challenges as a 600-pound man. The “last time” could refer to the importance of honoring Charlie’s story if his performance in The Whale wasn’t well-received and did nothing for Fraser’s career. Fortunately, the A24 movie was the stepping stone the talented actor needed.

The Bedazzled actor made a career comeback that any returning actor would strive for when he received multiple accolades for The Whale, such as a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and an Oscar, to name a few. Not to mention, Brendan Fraser continued his epic run with Killers of the Flower Moon and the Amazon MGM Studios comedy Brothers, and has an upcoming D-Day movie Pressure lined up. Despite Fraser’s newfound fame he’s recently received, the Journey to the Center of the Earth actor said he still couldn't believe where his life has taken him:

With new acting roles coming Brendan Fraser’s way, I doubt that wonderful feeling of humbleness and gratitude will ever escape him. The Doom Patrol actor previously said despite all of the praise and gigs he’s gotten, he doesn’t want to be too comfortable with it all for fear it could come to an end. Even though he’s proven what a versatile actor he is, Fraser knows he still wants to show audiences what he’s made of by welcoming new acting challenges. I personally can’t wait to see if there’s any future role out there for the award-winning actor that can match the stellar performance he gave for The Whale.

It’s a good thing that Brendan Fraser had veteran actors like Ian McKellen in his circle to give him outstanding advice that’s stuck with him hard. All actors should approach each role like it could be “the first and last time” they act so they can provide meaning to their performance and leave a lasting impact on the audience. Take a look at our 2025 movie releases so you don’t miss a beat of Fraser’s surging career.

Think of your favorite movie character of all time. There is a good chance that the actor who ended up playing that part is not the first actor the studio approached. See for yourself by taking a look at this list of celebrities who decided to pass on a movie role that would turn out to make cinematic history.

Will Smith (Neo In The Matrix)

It is actually pretty easy for us to picture what the Matrix movies might have been like with Will Smith as Neo. However, the Academy Award winner seems to believe that Keanu Reeves was the better choice to play the chosen one in the mind-bending, dystopian sci-fi movie classic, claiming in a video on his YouTube channel that he would have "ruined it."

Jodie Foster (Princess Leia in Star Wars)

Fresh off her Academy Award-nominated breakthrough role in 1976's Taxi Driver, a teenage Jodie Foster was offered the chance to be a part of the Star Wars movies as Princess Leia Organa. As she revealed to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, the two-time Oscar winner had a contractual obligation to an unnamed Disney movie, allowing Carrie Fisher to win the role.

Tom Hanks (Jerry Maguire In Jerry Maguire)

Tom Hanks was on top of the world with two Oscar wins (for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump) when he was offered to play a sports agent down on his luck in Jerry Maguire. He ended up passing on the eponymous role from Cameron Crowe's 1996 dramedy and later told Access Hollywood (via FandomWire), "I think you look at it now and it couldn’t have been anybody other than Tom Cruise," who would receive a nod from the Academy for his performance.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Patrick Bateman In American Psycho)

Christian Bale once told GQ that every one of his roles was first offered to Leonardo DiCaprio and one confirmed example is Patrick Bateman in 2000's American Psycho. The future Oscar winner told The Morning Call that he passed on playing the sadistic yuppie because he felt the script “didn’t mean anything in the end," but rumor has it Bale's stepmom, Gloria Steinem, convinced DiCaprio that it would be bad for his post-Titanic, romantic heartthrob reputation at the time.

Jean-Claude Van Damme (The Predator In Predator)

The titular terrifying alien enemy from 1987's Predator looked a lot different when Jean-Claude Van Damme was still in the role, according to THR's oral history. The Belgian actor star actually shot some footage in the original insect-like suit before deciding he would rather not be hidden in his own movie, leading to a redesign of the costume and the casting of 7'2" Kevin Peter Hall.

Jack Nicholson (Michael Corleone In The Godfather)

While we cannot imagine anyone other than Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, Jack Nicholson probably would have been great in the Godfather movies. However, the three-time Oscar winner refused the offer, explaining to Movieline in 2004 (via ScreenRant) that he believed "Italians should play Italians."

John Travolta (Forrest Gump In Forrest Gump)

When speaking with MTV News (via Collider), John Travolta revealed that he had no regrets about turning down the title role of the Best Picture Oscar winner Forrest Gump and it is no wonder why. Not only did Tom Hanks embody the role to Oscar-winning acclaim but Travolta found career-rejuvenating success with Pulp Fiction in 1994 instead.

Burt Reynolds (James Bond In Live And Let Die)

In 2015, Burt Reynolds told USA Today that, when approached to be Sean Connery's replacement in the James Bond films, he believed the public would not accept a 007 with an American accent. However, he would later come to believe that, "It was a stupid thing to say. I could've done it and I could've done it well."

Eddie Murphy (Winston Zeddemore In Ghostbusters)

While appearing on The Tonight Show in 2019, Eddie Murphy was asked by Jimmy Fallon if it is true that he passed on playing Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters. The comedian confirmed that it was true but added that it allowed him the opportunity to lead an even bigger hit from 1984: Beverly Hills Cop.

John Lithgow (Seth Brundle In The Fly)

Jeff Goldblum's iconic role from David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly was previously offered to John Lithgow, who told IndieWire that he said no, not wanting to play "something so grotesque.” Having witnessed Seth Brundle's transformation into a half-human, half-insect in the intense body horror movie, we cannot say we blame him.

Tom Selleck (Indiana Jones In Raiders Of The Lost Ark)

Having already worked with Harrison Ford three times before, George Lucas was reluctant to cast the Han Solo actor as Indiana Jones, opening up the opportunity for a rotation of actors, including Tom Selleck. As he recalled on Today, the actor was forced to pass on 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, due to his commitment to the CBS crime drama, Magnum P.I.

Christopher Lee (Dr. Loomis In Halloween)

While already a horror movie icon at the time for his acclaimed portrayal of Dracula and role in 1973's The Wicker Man, Christopher Lee could have added one of the all-time best horror movies, 1978's Halloween, to his resume. According to The Digital Fix, he would come to regret the decision to pass on the role of Michael Myers' psychiatrist, Dr. Sam Loomis, who was immortalized by Donald Pleasance instead.

Christina Applegate (Elle Woods In Legally Blonde)

Before Reese Witherspoon made Elle Woods an icon among fictional lawyers in Legally Blonde and among fictional politicians in the sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, the role was offered to Christina Applegate. The former Married... with Children star later explained to Entertainment Tonight that she was afraid of repeating the ditzy blonde but jokes it was a "stupid move."

Emily Blunt (Black Widow In Iron Man 2)

Scarlett Johansson was perfect as Natasha Romanoff but Emily Blunt would have made a killing as the Avenger also called Black Widow. The English actor explained to Howard Stern that she could not originate the role for the MCU in 2010's Iron Man 2 because she was contractually obligated to appear in that year's adaptation of Gulliver's Travels.

Emma Watson (Mia In La La Land)

Playing Mia in 2016's La La Land earned Emma Stone her first Oscar win but the role of the aspiring actor had originally gone to another Emma: Emma Watson. The Harry Potter movies star said in a SiriusXM Town Hall interview (via Us Weekly) that her commitment to Beauty and the Beast and the hard work required to star in the musical led her to pull out.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Rollergirl In Boogie Nights)

Heather Graham made her mainstream breakthrough in 1998's Boogie Nights as "Rollergirl" – a role that was previously offered to Gwyneth Paltrow. The future Oscar winner told Howard Stern (via Us Weekly) that she passed because she feared the role, which required her to completely disrobe and simulate lewd acts on camera, would "kill" her conservative grandfather.

Jennifer Hudson (Precious In Precious)

Jennifer Hudson had previously said in her memoir, I Got This: How I Changed My Ways And Lost What Weighed Me Down, that she turned down the title role of Precious because she did not want to take a role that involved her weight. The Oscar winner later retracted that statement when speaking to The Huffington Post, explaining that Was not interested in what the role, which ultimately went to Gabourey Sibide, would have required her to do at that point in her career.

Matt Damon (Jake Sully In Avatar)

Sam Worthington became a household name when he led James Cameron's astonishingly successful sci-fi epic, Avatar, as Jake Sully – a role previously offered to Matt Damon. The Oscar winner once joked to Access Hollywood that not participating in the 2009 film cost the movie "a lot."

Ian McKellan (Albus Dumbledore In Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban)

The Lord of the Rings movies' Gandalf actor, Sir Ian McKellan, could have added another famous wizard to his resume and become the Harry Potter franchise's new Albus Dumbledore. Instead, the part went to Michael Gambon after, as he told BBC News, McKellan turned it down because he couldn’t “take over the part from an actor who I’d known didn’t approve of me,” referring to the late Richard Harris who was a vocal critic of the actor.

Drew Barrymore (Sidney Prescott In Scream)

Given Drew Barrymore's A-list status in 1996, audiences assumed that she was the lead of Wes Craven's Scream, which could have been the case, as she confirmed on Hot Ones. However, she requested to be killed off in the beginning as Casey Becker, knowing it would shock the audience, paving the way for Neve Campbell to become a Scream Queen in the role of Sidney Prescott.

Angela Bassett (Leticia Musgrove In Monster’s Ball)

Halle Berry became the first Black Best Actress Oscar winner for her performance in Monster's Ball as Leticia Musgrove – a role that was offered to Angela Bassett. According to EW, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star felt the part of a Black call girl was too stereotypical.

Sean Connery (Gandalf In The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring)

Sir Ian McKellan mentions in an oral history about the Lord of the Rings series for The Independent that an earlier choice to play Gandalf the Grey was Sir Sean Connery. New Line Cinema executive Mark Ordesky notes that the former James Bond actor passed on the role of the wizard simply because he "did not get it."

Bette Midler (Annie Wilkes In Misery)

Despite having no qualms about playing an actual evil witch in 1993's Hocus Pocus, Bette Midler did have some reservations about playing Annie Wilkes in Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's Misery from 1990. The actor and singer told Variety that was interested in playing the sadistic nurse because of her violent, unfunny, and irredeemable qualities.

Warren Beatty (Bill In Kill Bill)

In 2003, Quentin Tarantino told BBC that he originally started writing the title role of Kill Bill with Warren Beatty in mind because he wanted to work with him and the Oscar winner was set to play the target of Uma Thurman's vengeful Bride for a bit. However, after realizing that David Carradine was a better fit, followed by consideration of the time commitment and martial arts training involved, the actor and filmmaker amicably agreed to part ways.

Michelle Pfeiffer (Clarice Starling In The Silence Of The Lambs)

Michelle Pfeiffer once told Today's Hoda Kotb (via People) that her reasons for passing on roles in the likes of Pretty Woman and Basic Instinct typically had to do with scheduling conflicts. However, she told The New Yorker she passed on playing Clarice Starling (which ultimately went to Jodie Foster) in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs because the “evil” in the film made her nervous.

Al Pacino (Han Solo In Star Wars)

In his memoir, Sonny Boy, Al Pacino reveals that, before Harrison Ford was cast in Star Wars, he was offered the role of Han Solo. The Oscar winner explains that he could not "make anything out of" George Lucas' script and chose not to play the pilot of the Millennium Falcon.

Bela Lugosi (The Creature In Frankenstein)

According to the book, The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela Lugosi by Arthur Lennig (via SlashFilm), the star of 1931's Dracula had the opportunity to play two Universal Monsters in the same year, having also been offered to play The Creature in Frankenstein. However, the actor believed such a role was "beneath him," paving the way for Boris Karloff to rise up in the ranks of horror royalty as Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s creation.

Haley Lu Richardson (Dani Ardor In Midsommar)

Haley Lu Richardson, known for one of the best M. Night Shyamalan movies, Split, passed on the role of Dani Ardor in Ari Aster's 2019 sophomore effort, Midsommar. The A24 horror masterpiece was ultimately led by Florence Pugh, whom Richardson told Backstage she has nothing but praise for, despite not yet having the courage to watch the movie.

Julia Roberts (Annie Reed In Sleepless In Seattle)

The two most prestigious queens of the rom-com genre would have to be Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan but only one could play Annie Reed in Sleepless in Seattle. Roberts told InStyle (via ABC News) that she was offered the part but could not do it, adding that Ryan and Tom Hanks "are just such a jewel of a fit in that."

Jamie Lee Curtis (Regan MacNeil In The Exorcist)

Jamie Lee Curtis became horror royalty with her feature film debut in 1978's Halloween but her reign could have begun earlier if not for one thing: her mother, Janet Leigh. Curtis told EW that, when she was asked to audition for Regan MacNeil in 1973's The Exorcist (which would go to Linda Blair), the Psycho star spoke on the then-13-year-old's behalf and refused the offer.

Lee Marvin (Quint In Jaws)

Robert Shaw's performance as Quint in Jaws is nearly as famous as the man-eating shark itself but the English actor was actually not Steven Spielberg's first choice. The filmmaker told Vanity Fair that he previously approached Lee Marvin but the Dirty Dozen star was not interested.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Amber In Clueless)

Elisa Donovan's character in Clueless, Amber, very nearly went to the future star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Adam Schroeder, the co-producer of the 1995 high school movie classic, told Vanity Fair that the actor's commitment to the soap opera All My Children at the time forced her to recede from consideration.

When I was a little kid, I thought Gandalf and Dumbledore were the same person, meaning I didn’t just think the same actor played them, I thought they were the same wizard. Well, I quickly figured out that I was wrong, and I also swiftly fell in love with Ian McKellen’s Lord of the Rings istar and Michael Gambon’s take on Hogwarts’ Headmaster. However, it turns out I wasn’t the only one who confused the fantasy characters, because McKellen hilariously explained how he and Gambon dealt with the frequent mix-ups from fans.

Let me set the scene for these hilarious comments from McKellen. He was doing an interview with Magic Radio, and he mentioned that on his way to this radio spot, he saw himself on a bus. He said he didn’t think he’d ever seen himself on the side of a bus before, but the interviewer couldn’t quite believe that – especially considering his prominent roles in the casts of Lord of the Rings and X-Men. This led the actor to explain that when the Harry Potter movies came out, people thought he was on the side of busses, but it was really the late great Michael Gambon:

In Sir Ian McKellen and I’s defense, on the surface it’s easy to mistake Gandalf and Dumbledore. They’re both wizards in fantasy projects that are regarded as some of the best movies of the 2000s, they both wear robes of the grey and white variety, they both have long gray hair, and they’re both extremely wise and regal.

They also serve similar purposes in their respective franchises. In the Harry Potter movies, Dumbledore is Harry and the students’ advisor and guardian. In the Lord of the Rings films, Gandalf helps Frodo, the Fellowship and the beings of Middle-earth in the same kind of way, by being a wise protector.

However, while the switch-up is understandable (and the 8-year-old version of myself is 100% guilty of it), both Gambon and McKellen deserve (and have received) acclaim and praise for their respective and different performances.

Luckily, though, when these mistakes happen, they both are funny about it, as McKellen described how Gambon would act when someone asked him to sign an image of Gandalf:

So, if you have a signed photo of Gandalf you might want to reassess who you met that day, because it might have been Michael Gambon. However, either way, that meet-up is a win.

If there’s anything to take away from this, it’s how remarkable both these men were as their wizards. The Harry Potter movies feature some of Gambon’s finest work, and McKellen and his take on Gandalf are so beloved, that people want him to come back for the upcoming Gollum movie, which he’s down to do if he’s able.

To go back and see these fine fellows playing legendary wizards, you can stream both the Harry Potter films and all the Lord of the Rings movies with a Max subscription. Just make sure you always remember that even though they look similar, Michael Gambon played Gandalf and Ian McKellen is Gandalf!

The Lord of the Rings franchise is one of the most beloved in pop culture history, thanks to both J.R.R. Tolkien's books and the beloved movies (which are streaming with a Max subscription). We're getting new content thanks to the development of The Hunt for Gollum, which has fans wondering about which actors from the Lord of the Rings cast might reprise their roles. Although Sir Ian McKellen name dropped Harry Potter when explaining why Gandalf might be recast for the new film.

News that Peter Jackson was behind a new LOTR movie broke the internet when it was revealed, and there have been countless questions and fan theories since then. While Viggo Mortensen has addressed possibly returning, another big name in question is the great Ian McKellen. While appearing on This Morning, the 85 year-old actor explained why his character could be recast, offering:

Points were made. Plenty of franchises have recast major roles before, including the Harry Potter movies. Hogwarts got a new Headmaster after actor Richard Harris died in 2022, making way for late actor Michael Gambon to take over the mantle for the rest of the movies. So there's precedent if another Gandalf is brought in by Peter Jackson.

During his recent interview, Ian McKellen cited his age, and how long it takes to develop movies like The Lord of the Rings as reasons why perhaps he won't be able to play Gandalf again. But while he's realistic about the possibility of a replacement actor for The Hunt for Gollum, he'd still prefer to be involved if possible. In his words:

I mean, can you blame him? The cast of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy spent years filming the movies in New Zealand, so McKellen and company understandably have strong feelings about their time on the franchise. But it's been decades since The Return of the King hit theaters back in 2003, actually having the same cast involved might be tricky.

Still, it's hard to imagine anyone but Sir Ian McKellen as the live-action Gandalf. Although with the Rings of Power series (which is streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription) fans are wondering if the mysterious Stranger might actually be Gandalf. Only time will tell, but however possibly plays the beloved Wizard will have some big shoes to fill... especially compared to how small Hobbits are.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is currently expected to arrive in theaters sometime in 2026, so development will have to pick up its pace. For now, check out the 2025 movie release dates.

It’s hard to know exactly what’s going on between Prince Harry and the other members of the royal family from whom he is estranged. Some reports say the prince and his wife Meghan Markle are eager to mend the rift, while others suggest their relationship with King Charles III is at an all-time low. Either way, Sir Ian McKellen knows which side of the feud he’s backing, as he describes Harry’s situation — and being born into royalty in general — as being in “prison.”

Prince Harry has spoken at length about his life as the son of Charles and Diana, making some wild revelations about the royal family along the way. He's done so via his memoir Spare and the docuseries Harry & Meghan (available with a Netflix subscription), not to mention the bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview he and Markle did in 2021. It all sounds perfectly dreadful to Ian McKellen, who told The Times (UK):

Sir Ian McKellen definitely knows a thing or two about life in the public eye, having enjoyed a six-decade career on stage and screen (one that he hopes to continue after he recovers from a bad fall during a performance in June). However, even what he’s experienced doesn’t compare to what Prince Harry and his family endure, likely in part because the Duke of Sussex didn’t ask for the life he was born into.

When it comes to the expectation of being nice to everyone they encounter, that’s something the Lord of the Rings actor has experienced first-hand, as he said Queen Elizabeth II was “quite rude” the few times he met her. The strongly opinionated actor also had some blunt thoughts about other members of the royal family and expounded on his feelings about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, saying:

Prince Harry certainly has made his choice, choosing Meghan Markle’s safety — and that of their two children — over many of the perks he inherited at birth. Whether the relationship can be salvaged between him and his father remains to be seen, or between him and Prince William, as the younger brother wrote about the Prince and Princess of Wales in Spare.

The memoir is being released in paperback form next month, but contrary to some reports, no new chapters will be included. That’s at least one step in the direction of reconciliation, if that’s what Prince Harry is looking for.

In fantasy television, it’s commonplace for us to go episodes without seeing side characters, and jumping from one storyline to another happens frequently. However, in a fantasy film, I find it harder to do this, because the time we’re allowed with these characters isn't eight to ten hours, it's three or less. So, when I rewatched The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – which is part of my journey to rewatch all the LOTR movies for a second time – I was a bit bothered by how many storylines were going on, and there was one specifically that I desperately wanted more of.

Two Towers has three main plots going on – Sam, Frodo and Gollum traveling toward Mordor, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas and Gandalf (occasionally) in Rohan, and Merry and Pippin’s adventures with Treebeard in the Fangorn Forest after they escape the Orcs. Notably, I put “occasionally” by Sir Ian McKellen’s character, because he’s not with any of these groups for the majority of the theatrical release version of this film. And I wish we could have seen what he was up to when he wasn't on screen.

Yes, Gandalf’s Big Reveals Were Epic

Let me make it abundantly clear quickly, I agree with reviews about Two Towers, it’s amazing and one of the best LOTR movies. Also, the small amount of screentime Gandalf has is made up for (sort of) by his truly epic moments.

Whether you know it’s coming or not, the reveal that he’s alive and back as Gandalf the White is breathtaking. Plus, hearing his harrowing journey about how he got back to the Fellowship is incredible, and it reminded me of the true hero he is.

Then, when he gets to Rohan with Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, the way he goes about saving Théoden and getting Saruman out of him is iconic. Basically, he bonks him on the head with his staff, does his magic, and saves the King of Rohan.

Finally, he leaves for five days (more on that later), and then he comes back with Éomer and a whole bunch of men to save the day.

Now, all of this is epic, and McKellen’s performance and chemistry with the rest of the Lord of the Rings cast is magical (pun intended). Honestly, he steals the show. However, what I really wanted was to see more of him!

However, I Wanted To See What Gandalf Was Up To When He Wasn't With The Other Main Characters

Here’s the breakdown of Gandalf’s screen time to prove part of my point. He officially enters as Gandalf with a glow-up about 43 minutes in. Then, he’s traveling with the guys to Rohan, we meet his new horse and we see him save Théoden. About one hour and ten minutes in, he tells Aragorn he’ll be back in five days and leaves. Then he bursts back onto the scene with Éomer when there are only 20 minutes left in the film.

Two Towers (the theatrical version) is three hours long, in the grand scheme of it, Gandalf was in maybe one-third of it. He’s my favorite character, and I would have loved for him to be around more, and I think it would have been fun to see where he was while he was off on his adventure.

I know we see a bit more of Gandalf in the extended version of the film. However, it’s still not enough. I would have loved to watch his interaction with Merry and Pippen toward the start, and you better believe I wanted a whole subplot of him going to fetch Karl Urban’s character.

However, that’s all been left to the imagination.

Now, I know less is more, and not having Gandalf around made me really appreciate his few massive moments. Plus, not knowing what he was doing during those five days, made the reveal at the battle better. Still, though, Ian McKellen is such a star in this role, and I needed more of him in this movie!

Thankfully, Gandalf appears in both the OG trilogy and The Hobbit movies – McKellen even said he’d be down to play the wizard in the Gollum movie if he can – so we do get plenty of him. However, this rewatch of Two Towers made me really realize how little he’s in that movie, and I missed him.

To go back and see what I mean about this lack of Gandalf, you can stream The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers with a Max subscription or Amazon Prime subscription.

Lord of the Rings fans are spoiled for choice these days. Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is here, and a new animated, The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim movie is on the way later this year. On top of that, two new live-action films from Peter Jackson are on the way. The only thing we know for certain is that Andy Serkis will direct the first, and return to play Gollum, but we expect others from the original series may also appear, and Sir Ian McKellen has confirmed that he has been asked.

Speaking with Big Issue while recovering from a recent fall while performing Shakespeare, the Gandalf actor revealed that he has been approached about reprising his role as Gandalf in the tentatively titled, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum. It doesn't sound like there's any guarantee that McKellen will appear quite yet, but if Gandalf is in the movie (which seems likely), Peter Jackson and company hope the actor will return. McKellen said…

“Hope” is certainly doing a lot of work here. The actor is clearly referring to his own mortality, as the most likely reason the actor might not return would be if he were no longer with us. McKellen has previously said that he’s interested in returning as Gandalf, assuming that he’s still alive when the time comes to do so.

He reiterated that idea, saying that the writers better be quick and get the script written because time is of the essence given he's 85 at this point. He continued, morbid-but-hopeful:

Ian McKellen isn’t the only one who has had a memorable response to the idea of returning for more Lord of the Rings movies. When Viggo Mortensen was asked about the idea of returning to play Aragorn again, he said it would depend on the script's quality --unless he really needed money.

Director Andy Serkis has so far avoided talking about characters or actors returning to the franchise. Since the movie hasn’t been written yet, it seems unlikely even the filmmakers knows all the characters that may appear in the film. Still, I personally think it's all but certain that if any characters from the previous Lord of the Rings or Hobbit trilogies will appear, they’ll want the original actors back as well.

On the one hand, getting that script done quickly may help land actors like Ian McKellen, but on the other, fans certainly won’t want to see the new movies rushed the way the Hobbit movies were.

As with many years prior, several upcoming films will bring us tales of joy and woe with animated adventures, heartfelt family films, people overcoming horrific circumstances, fun comedies and more. But, something that many people love to see is a story that focuses either on people who do intriguing work or who have some true magic in their lives. As such, let’s take a look at 32 famous actors who’ve given us that by playing a wizard, witch or magician in some popular movies. 

Nicole Kidman (Practical Magic, Bewitched)

An Oscar winner who’s notably portrayed a witch twice in her big screen efforts is Nicole Kidman. Seeing as how Practical Magic 2 is now being worked on in earnest, you probably remember her 1998 hit with Sandra Bullock easily. But, do you recall her turn as a real witch hired to play a fictional one in the 2005 comedy, Bewitched?

Hugh Jackman (The Prestige)

We actually don’t get as many magicians on screen as one might think, but Hugh Jackman did us all a solid when he starred as one in the 2006 Christopher Nolan movie, The Prestige. If you somehow still haven’t seen this Edwardian London-set thriller, do yourself a favor and track it down. You won’t regret it.

Ian McKellen (The Lord Of The Rings And The Hobbit Trilogies)

This list would be nothing without mentioning maybe the most famous wizard in all of literary history, who made his major motion picture appearances courtesy of Sir Ian McKellen in The Lord of the Rings movies, as well as The Hobbit trilogy. Gandalf the Grey cannot be ignored, and not just because he’s so much taller than most of his traveling companions!

Neve Campbell (The Craft)

Fledgling teen witches count just as much as those who’ve been witchin’ for decades, which is why Neve Campbell’s eventual power-hungry sorceress, Bonnie, is on this list. The Craft is a teen horror classic that’s worth a watch.

Bette Midler (Hocus Pocus)

Here’s another classic movie witch who’s hard to forget. Bette Midler really dialed it up for her performance as Winifred Sanderson in 1993’s Hocus Pocus (along with fellow witchy Sanderson sisters Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker), and the results were so memorable that a Disney+ sequel was made nearly 30 years later.

Jesse Eisenberg (Now You See Me)

We’ve come to another magician, but Jesse Eisenberg’s modern-day character, Atlas, is an illusionist who works in Las Vegas in a popular group…who are really teamed up to steal lots and lots of money. It was so popular that a sequel followed.

Alexandra Daddario (Mayfair Witches)

If anything, we could trust late horror author Anne Rice to pen an intriguing tale that keeps us glued to the pages of a book. It also turns out that White Lotus star Alexandra Daddario can help turn that story into a can’t-miss TV show, as she’s done by playing witchy lead Rowan on Mayfair Witches.

Cher (The Witches Of Eastwick)

Cher has excelled in pretty much every role she’s ever had, and that includes widowed mother/witch Alex in The Witches of Eastwick. This one gets wild but you’ll never regret watching her (or her co-stars Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer and Jack Nicholson) as things go from weird to worse.

Nicolas Cage (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice)

We all know that Nicolas Cage has played a multitude of roles during his decades-long career, so it should be little surprise that he’s portrayed as a user of magic. Before you get too deep into wondering whether or not there’s a real difference between a wizard and a sorcerer, just know that Cage played the latter in this 2010 film that takes some inspiration from a segment in Disney’s animated classic, Fantasia.

Tia And Tamera Mowry (Twitches)

Sure, there have already been people on this list who played witches along with other really famous people, and those co-stars weren’t listed as the main star, but guess what: none of those other people starred with their twin, which is the case with Tia and Tamera Mowry in the beloved Disney Channel original film, Twitches. Did this one get a sequel? You bet it did!

Meryl Streep (Into The Woods)

No one can deny the prowess or ability of 21-time Oscar nominee (and three-time winner) Meryl Streep to deliver an amazing performance. The same can be true for when she played the character known simply as The Witch in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Into the Woods (and, yes, got an Academy Award nomination for her work).

Steve Carell (The Incredible Burt Wonderstone)

And here we have another Las Vegas magician in Steve Carell’s Burt Wonderstone. Instead of watching him steal money, we follow along in this comedy as Burt attempts to reunite with his former partner (Steve Buschemi) so they can gain more traction than a competing magician (Jim Carrey) whose “tricks” mostly involve odd feats of endurance and real pain.

Edward Norton (The Illusionist)

You’d be forgiven for confusing this film with the above-mentioned The Prestige, as they’re both about old-timey magicians and released in 2006. However, this film stars Edward Norton as our…illusionist, and is more of a romantic mystery than Nolan’s thriller.

Lucy Lawless (Salem)

So many evil witches, so little time. The WGN TV series, Salem, was loosely inspired by the Salem witch trials, and focused on a lead who was trying to bring the Devil to earth. But, that wasn’t even the character played by Xena actress Lucy Lawless, as her Countess Palatine Ingrid von Marburg was simply a different and far more evil witch. Can’t anyone use magic to just like, keep everyone’s house clean so we can all have more free time?

Guy Pearce (Death Defying Acts)

It’s actually rather surprising that we’ve gotten this far into the list without coming to someone who portrayed a famous real-life magician, so we can thank Guy Pearce for that. His 2007 supernatural romance, Death Defying Acts, saw him play Harry Houdini.

Angela Bassett (American Horror Story: Coven)

Even for those who don’t follow along with the amazing antics on every season of the anthology series, American Horror Story, it would probably be a little shock to find out that the show has cast several witches during its long run. The subtitle of this 2013 season tells you that it was dedicated to witchy goings-on, and double Oscar nominee Angela Bassett had a notable guest role as real historical figure/Voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau.

Sebastian Stan (The Covenant)

The actor who would come to be known as Bucky “Winter Soldier” Barnes, Sebastian Stan, played a very different type of super-powered character in 2006, when he played teen warlock Chase Collins in the fantasy film The Covenant. It also features stars like Taylor Kitsch and Chase Crawford, who also get their magic on in the film.

Michelle Pfeiffer (Stardust)

As we’ve seen from the entry on Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer had already played a witchy woman by the time she appeared in the 2007 movie Stardust, as an evil (of course) witch looking to retrieve a fallen star to have ever-lasting beauty and youth.

Debbie Reynolds (Halloweentown)

Here’s another Disney Channel classic, which follows a young witch who realizes she has powers on her 13th Halloween, only to be transported to the titular town where supernatural creatures can live without human interference. The late Debbie Reynolds plays her grandmother (also a witch), and returned for all three sequels.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange)

This 2016 MCU entry stars Benedict Cumberbatch as an injured doctor who involves himself in the business of fighting evil with sorcery after losing the use of his hands and heading to a mysterious enclave to look for healing. Cumberbatch has appeared as the character in a number of Marvel franchise films now, including a 2022 sequel to his original solo film.

Mila Kunis (Oz The Great And Powerful)

Here’s a movie filled with magical beings that’s often forgotten. Oz the Great and Powerful saw Mila Kunis, along with Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz, play witches of, yes, that Oz who have to determine if the Kansas magician who’s turned up in their realm is really the “great” wizard they’ve been waiting for.

Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone)

This is another actor and portrayal that this list would basically be pointless without. Though Daniel Radcliffe has gone on to portray a wide variety of good and bad guys in the past decade or so of his career, for many he will always be known as the boy wizard, Harry Potter.

Selena Gomez (Wizards Of Waverly Place)

What? Did you forget that Selena Gomez, the Grammy-nominated singer and star of the Hulu hit show Only Murders in the Building, got her first taste of fame on a Disney Channel series? Well, shame on you for not being able to remember that Gomez led Wizards of Waverly Place through a magical four-season run as the supernaturally gifted teen, Alex Russo.

Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision)

Do we have yet another MCU stalwart for you? You bet we do! Elizabeth Olsen first took on the role of Scarlet Witch during the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, later starring in several more of the franchise films and the critically lauded Disney+ series, WandaVision, for which she received an Emmy nomination.

Sam Neill (Merlin)

While there have certainly been a number of movies and shows that have given us versions of the mythical wizard known as Merlin, NBC’s two-part, 1998 miniseries saw Sam Neill use his recent Jurassic Park stardom to show us an adventurous tale of Merlin’s life before the birth of King Arthur.

Rosamund Pike (The Wheel Of Time)

Many of the portrayals we’ve discussed (and will continue to discuss below) have dealt with book-to-screen adaptations that are based on already incredibly popular novels, and The Wheel of Time is certainly one of those. The Amazon series, which takes its story from the 14-book franchise by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, stars Rosamund Pike as powerful magic user Moiraine Damodred, who takes a group of young adults on a journey to save the world.

Julia Ormond (Witches Of East End)

This Lifetime series, which ran for two seasons from 2013 to 2014, followed the women of the Beauchamp family, witches in a small, fictional seaside town who are led by their mother, Julia Ormond’s Joanna, and have to fight to save themselves and the people of their town from dark magical forces.

Emma Thompson (Beautiful Creatures)

This 2013 Gothic fantasy romance focuses on a teen who will learn on her 16th birthday whether or not her witch tendencies will be for good or ill. Two-time Academy Award-winning actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson plays her mother, Sarafine, who didn’t raise the girl but wants her on that dark side really, really badly.

Tilda Swinton (The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Suspiria)

Considering that Tilda Swinton has played everything from a gender-switching hero in Orlando to the MCU’s version of the Ancient One in the aforementioned Doctor Strange and the archangel Gabriel in Constantine, is anyone surprised to know that she’s played some witches? In both The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe and Suspiria she was very good at playing magical ladies who wanted (or already had and wanted to continue) to do some very bad things, but the latter film has WAY more serious and bloody fun for those who watch.

Jack Black (The House With A Clock In Its Walls)

Frequent funny man Jack Black as a warlock? That’s what the 2018 fantasy The House With A Clock In Its Walls delivers, as the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star portrays a boy’s magic uncle who lives in the house of a dead evil wizard and is trying to discover the location and purpose of a clock the previous dastardly owner hid in the walls.

Jude Law (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald)

While much of the Harry Potter franchise featured either actors Richard Harris or Michael Gambon as the beloved Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, when the prequels were made, a younger Albus Dumbledore was needed and they called in Jude Law to fill the wizard’s very important and legendary shoes.

Julianne Moore (Seventh Son)

Last but certainly not least on our list of famed actors who’ve brought wizards, witches and magicians to life is lauded talent Julianne Moore. The Academy Award winner starred in 2015’s Seventh Son as the evil witch Mother Malkin, who escapes after many years imprisoned and looks to restore her full power by any means necessary.

As you can see, many of our most beloved stars have portrayed wizards, witches and magicians!

Veteran actor and two-time Oscar nominee Ian McKellen gave audiences a scare last night when he lost his footing during a West End production of Player Kings and fell from the stage. He was rushed to the hospital, but according to a statement from the Noel Coward Theater where the actor was performing, McKellen is doing okay and should be back on the stage soon.

It was during the Monday evening performance that the accident occurred. In a statement released by the theater (via Variety) while no specific details are given regarding his injuries, it appears that they were minor. The Tuesday evening performance has been canceled so the actor can recover, but plans are for the show to go on as of Wednesday. The statement reads in part…

According to reports, the scene in question involved two other actors involved in a fight scene, while McKellen circled around them. It was during this that he apparently took a bad step and fell off the front of the stage. Based on the statement things are looking good for Ian McKellen but at the time things didn’t sound so good. A theater critic in attendance stated McKellen could be heard “screaming in pain” following the fall. 

Falling from a stage certainly isn’t going to feel good but aside from, one assumes, some bruises, it sounds like he’s ok. Bones could have been broken but it seems like that’s not the case. 

McKellen has gained fame in roles such as The Lord of the Rings and the X-Men movies but has never entirely stopped performing on stage where he got his start. He once counseled his friend Patrick Stewart to not do Star Trek because it would take him away from the stage.

It’s wonderful to read that Ian McKellen is doing ok and the worst thing that’s happening is that a single performance is being cancelled. A stage fall certainly could have been a great deal worse, especially for the 85-year-old actor. Elsewhere in the statement, it’s mentioned two doctors in the performance's audience offered their assistance. That may have greatly helped the situation and was certainly a stroke of luck for the situation.

Theatergoers impacted by the Monday night performance that ended early and the canceled Tuesday night show will be contacted to deal with the missed show, and hopefully, other arrangements can be made. Overall it’s just good to hear that McKellen isn’t more seriously hurt.

Player Kings was near the end of its run at the Noel Coward Theater, with the final performance set for June 22. However, the show is set to perform at four other theaters through July.  

In a post on the social media platform formally known as Twitter, McKellen posted an update to fans, thanking them for their support, and letting them know he is ok.

While the actor may be 85 years old, he certainly isn't slowing down as an actor. McKellen recently said he was willing to return for the new Lord of the Rings movies recently announced by Peter Jackson that will focus on Gollum, though he stopped short of committing to them.

Although Ian McKellen has entertained countless people around the world with his movie and TV show appearances, as is the case with so many actors, he got his start on the stage and continues to go back there. Since April, McKellen has been keeping busy at the Noël Coward Theatre in London, England with Player Kings, an adaptation of Henry IV Parts One and Part Two that began its 12-week run on the West End back in April. Unfortunately, word’s come in that McKellen fell off stage during his most recent performance, though the good news is he’s expected to make a “speedy and full recovery” after being hospitalized.

The BBC reported that Ian McKellen lost his footing while performing a fight scene during the production and lost his footing, causing him to fall. The publication stated that when the house lights came up, “the actor cried out and staff rushed to help.” The audience was subsequently evacuated from the theatre and the Tuesday performance was cancelled. 

The statement also included thanks to “doctors Rachel and Lee who were on hand in the audience,” and to “all the venue staff for their support. This injury follows more than half a decade after McKellen hurt his leg while running to catch a train in London, which resulted in that night’s performance of King Lear at the Duke of York theatre being cancelled. In that case though, he conducted a Q&A onstage to entertain those who’d come to see the production.

Ian McKellen’s other stage credits from the last several years includes Hamlet, Mother Goose and Frank and Percy. As far as onscreen work goes, he was most recently heard narrating a couple episodes of Ted, which can be streamed with a Peacock subscription, and he was last seen on the big screen in 2023’s The Critic. Of course, the two roles for which McKellen is arguably best known for are Magneto in the original X-Men movies and Gandalf in both the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, Regarding the latter, the 85-year-old McKellen was asked if he’s be game to reprise the role for the upcoming Gollum-centric movie Peter Jackson is making, and he responded, “If I’m alive.”

We’ll keep you apprised on Ian McKellen’s physical state as more details come in. Until then, best of luck with your recovery from the fall, sir!

Last month, Lord of the Rings fans lost our collective minds when it was announced that Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis were returning to Middle-earth for a new movie. But what about other original cast members like Ian McKellen? Will the legendary performer return as Gandalf this time around? The actor has weighed in. 

A movie called Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum is currently in development with Jackson producing and Andy Serkis set to star as Gollum and direct it. When McKellen was asked about the chance of him passing through Middle-earth again, here’s what he said: 

Even though the new Lord of the Rings movie is said to be released sometime in 2026, Andy Serkis said just last week that it is currently in “very early state script discussions,” and thus, perhaps the filmmakers don’t even know if Gandalf is going to be in it. So, as the actor shared, he has not been looped in about the project enough to know whether he’ll go back to play the iconic wizard, but there have been whispers. 

When The Times asked him if he’d be interested if he was asked to join in, here’s how he responded: 

Ian McKellen just turned 85 years old on May 25, but he remains a booked and busy actor who has been starring in Player Kings, a condensation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I and Part II on the West End since April. The actor is set to tour the play with his cast this summer through July. While speaking about his current role, he candidly shared that every time he looks at scripts these days, he feels like it might be his “last job.” 

McKellen said he hopes to continue working, but he is aware these days that “life doesn’t go on forever.” So as the filmmakers behind the new Lord of the Rings movie perhaps decide whether or not they want to pitch the project to him, it sounds like the actor will be particularly selective. 

The Lord of the Rings spinoff will explore the backstory of Gollum/Sméagol and dig into elements of it that Peter Jackson “didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films.” As fans know, Gollum started as a Hobbit who came across the One Ring and allowed its power to consume him and become his “precious” to guard. 

Viggo Mortensen, who of course played Aragorn in the original trilogy, was also recently asked if he'd come back as his LOTR character. Not unlike McKellen, he shared he doesn’t know much about the project for the time being and would do it if he was “right for it” in terms of the age he is now, the story and to do right by the character. 

As we learn more about this exciting movie and the cast that may or may not be returning, we'll keep you posted. As for what you can do right now, you can watch Ian McKellen in the Lord of the Rings movies now with a Max subscription. Ahead of The Hunt For Gollum, you can also stream Season 2 of Lord of the Rings: The Rings Of Power with an Amazon Prime subscription when it returns with more episodes on the 2024 TV schedule on August 29. 

Doctor Who is a British institution, and while it’s made household names of the actors who take on the mantle of The Doctor, it’s also cast many stars in guest roles. So, with that in mind, we took a journey through the iconic modern era run of the beloved BBC show, and found 32 famous actors who played a minor role in this time lord’s journey. 

Jonathan Bailey

While we know and love Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton on one of Netflix’s best series, Bridgerton, and as Fiyero in the Wicked cast, you might not be aware that he was in Season 8 of Doctor Who in the episode “Time Heist.” He starred alongside Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor, playing the hacker Psi. 

Brett Goldstein

Brett Goldstein appeared in the Season 11 episode “The Tsuranga Conundrum '' alongside Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor. During the episode that saw The Doctor and co. stuck on a spaceship while an enemy tries to destroy it, and the Emmy-winning actor played the head nurse Astos. Then, two years later, Goldstein became a household name when he joined the Ted Lasso cast as the beloved grouchy player-turned-coach Roy Kent. 

Carey Mulligan

Before Carey Mulligan starred in movies like Drive, Promising Young Woman and Maestro, she played the young Sally Sparrow in the Season 3 episode “Blink.” Not only is this episode one with some of Doctor Who’s best quotes, but it’s also one of the most iconic stories in the show’s history as David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor took on the Weeping Angels. 

Olivia Colman 

In one of Doctor Who’s best episodes, and Matt Smith’s first as the Eleventh iteration of the time lord, Olivia Colman played “Mother,” a woman who is taken over by Patient Zero in “The Eleventh Hour.” After that, the actress, of course, went on to win an Oscar for The Favourite, and she starred in various other successful projects including the film The Lost Daughter, and the series Broadchurch and The Crown. 

James Corden

Long before James Corden was hosting The Late Late Show, he guest starred in two of Matt Smith’s episodes as his pal and flatmate Craig, most notably in the Season 5 episode “The Lodger.” 

Andrew Garfield

He may be best known as The Amazing Spider-Man and for films like The Social Network and Tick, Tick…Boom! but before all that, Andrew Garfield starred alongside David Tennant in two Doctor Who episodes, “Daleks in Manhattan” and “Evolution of the Daleks.” He played Frank, a boy who gets the Doctor to help get rid of the Daleks. 

Bill Nighy 

In one of the most moving episodes of Doctor Who, “Vincent and The Doctor,” Bill Nighy plays Dr. Black, who works at the museum where Vincent Van Gogh’s self-portrait is held. Before starring in the emotional Matt Smith-led episode all about the aforementioned painter, Nighy was best known for movies like Love, Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean. Since then, he’s been in films including About Time, Emma. and Living, which he got an Oscar nomination for. 

Daniel Kaluuya

You know Daniel Kaluuya? That’s right, the star of Jordan Peele’s movies Get Out and Nope and the man who won an Oscar for Judas and The Black Messiah. Well, before all of that, he played Barclay in Season 4 of Doctor Who in the episode “Planet of the Dead,” where he helped the Tenth Doctor fix an engine after a double-decker bus they were on got stuck in a very sandy place.  

Felicity Jones

Before she entered a galaxy far, far away in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story or received her Oscar nomination for The Theory of Everything, Felicity Jones guest starred on Doctor Who. In 2008, she played Robina Redmond opposite the Tenth Doctor in the episode “The Unicorn and the Wasp,” which was a fun take on Agatha Christie and her mysteries. 

Ian McKellen

While you don’t see Sir Ian McKellen in Doctor Who, his voice is undeniable, as he was the man behind The Great Intelligence in Matt Smith’s 2012 Christmas special  “The Snowmen.” This special appearance was just another feather in this iconic British actor’s cap in the world of genre as he’s best known for playing Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films as well as Magneto in the X-Men movies. 

Maisie Williams

Obviously, we know Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, an integral character in the Game of Thrones cast. However, she also starred in another series that’s considered a British institution when she appeared in four of Peter Capaldi’s Season 9 Doctor Who episodes – “The Girl Who Died,” “The Woman Who Lived,” “Face the Raven'' and “Hell Bent” – as Ashildr (AKA Me) the immortal Viking. 

Michael Gambon 

In Doctor Who’s 2010 Christmas special, “A Christmas Carol,” the Eleventh Doctor finds himself with a very Scrooge-like character named Kazran Sardick, played by the late Michael Gambon. The actor also played the antagonist’s father Elliot Sardick. Of course, before this, he also starred in another tentpole fantasy franchise by playing Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter movies. 

John Hurt 

In the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, John Hurt joined Matt Smith and David Tennant as a regeneration of the time lord named the War Doctor, who lived between the eighth and ninth versions of The Doctor. He was, of course, played by the late great John Hurt, who was known for iconic films like Alien and The Elephant Man. He was a legendary British actor, and he played a pivotal role in the long-running BBC series.

Gemma Chan

From the beloved and star-studded rom-com Crazy Rich Asians to Marvel’s The Eternals, Gemma Chan’s star has grown immensely over the last few years. However, before that, she played geologist Mia Bennett in the 2009 episode “The Waters of Mars” alongside David Tennant’s Doctor. 

Michael Sheen

David Tennant plays the demon to Michael Sheen’s angel in Good Omens, but before they shared the screen together, the Aziraphale actor voiced a House on the show that made his co-star a household name. During Matt Smith’s run as The Doctor during the episode “The Doctor’s Wife,” the actor known for Frost/Nixon and Masters of Sex voiced the evil entity that lived just outside the universe. 

Richard E. Grant

With over 140 credits to his name, including Gosford Park and Hudson Hawk, Richard E. Grant is a legendary British actor. In Doctor Who he played an equally iconic role as the antagonist Dr. Simeon in the Eleventh Doctor-led Christmas special “The Snowmen.” After that, the actor who played a variant of Loki in Marvel’s most timey-wimey show, returned to Dr. Simeon for the Season 7 episode “The Name of the Doctor.” 

Jonathan Groff

As one of the first big actors to guest star in Ncuti Gatwa’s run as the Fifteenth Doctor, Jonathan Groff joined the cast for a Regency-era episode. Before making a brief appearance on Doctor Who, Groff made a name for himself on Broadway in shows including Merrily We Roll Along and Hamilton. He also voiced Kristoff in both Frozen films, and starred in David Fincher’s series Mindhunter. Talk about range. 

Stephen Fry

During the Thirteenth Doctor’s run, Stephen Fry played a role in the Season 12 episode “Spyfall" as C, the head of MI6. An iconic character actor, Fry has over 190 credits to his name, and he is best known for films like Wilde and V for Vendetta. 

Simon Pegg

Long before he was choosing to accept missions with Tom Cruise in the Mission: Impossible movies and leading Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy – which is Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End – Simon Pegg guest starred on Doctor Who. He played The Editor in Season 1 of the modern era, and went up against Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth generation of the time lord. 

Kylie Minogue

Yes, you read that right, Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue, singer of “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and “Chiggy Wiggy,” did star in a 2007 episode of Doctor Who titled “Voyage of the Damned.” During Season 4, she was featured alongside Tennant’s Doctor as Astrid, an alien waitress. 

Helen McCrory

Helen McCrory played Rosanna in the 2010 Doctor Who episode “The Vampires of Venice.” The Peaky Blinders star joined Matt Smith’s Doctor as the leader of the Saturnyns. Along with the two iconic BBC shows, the actress also played Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies and starred in The Count of Monte Cristo. 

Toby Jones

In the episode “Amy’s Choice,” Toby Jones played the Dream Lord. This spooky villain that comes from the darker side of The Eleventh Doctor is another fun character in Jones’ cap, as he also voiced Dobby in the Harry Potter films and played Dr. Zola in the Captain America movies as well as Claudius Templesmith in The Hunger Games. 

Neil Patrick Harris

Joining the episode of the three-part 60th Anniversary special, Neil Patrick Harris played the Toymaker and witnessed the historic bi-generation. The How I Met Your Mother alum faced off against David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor as well as Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor. 

Timothy Dalton

Yep, you read that right, James Bond was in Doctor Who too. Timothy Dalton – who played 007 in License to Kill and The Living Daylights – guest starred in the Tenth Doctor’s 2009 episodes “End of Time” parts one and two where he played The Narrator and Lord President Rassilon, the founder and first leader of The Doctor’s home planet, Gallifrey. 

Brian Cox

In “End of Time,” Brian Cox wasn’t seen on screen with David Tennant, however, you can hear him, because he voiced Elder Ood, who is of an alien race the Doctor works to protect. While you don’t see Cox physically in the episode, you can see him as the patriarch of the Succession cast, Logan Roy, and you can check out movies of his, including Troy and Manhunter. 

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright’s future is as the Black Panther, but prior to playing Shuri in the MCU and starring in other fun projects, she appeared in the Season 9 episode “Face the Raven” with Peter Capaldi’s Doctor. In Doctor Who, she played Anahson, an orphan looking for her mother. 

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

While Gugu Mbatha-Raw is best known for travelling through time and space as Ravonna Renslayer in Loki, she also played Tish Jones in four episodes of Doctor Who’s fourth season alongside David Tennant. The actress who played Martha’s sister in these episodes then went on to star in many films, including Belle, and series like The Morning Show. 

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

You likely know Thomas Brodie-Sangster as the kid from Love, Actually or from his work in The Maze Runner movies and The Queen’s Gambit. However, he also starred in a pair of Doctor Who episodes in Season 3 alongside David Tennant as Tim Latimer, a schoolboy from 1913.  

Alan Cumming

The host of The Traitors and star of The Good Wife, Alan Cumming starred as King James I in the Season 11 episode “The Witchfinders.” In the episode featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, this star of stage and screen played the king of a nation that was in the midst of a witch trial when the time lord showed up. 

Iain Glen

Iain Glen played Octavian in the 2010 Doctor Who episodes titled “The Time of Angels” and “Flesh and Stone.” While the actor made a name for himself on Game of Thrones as Jorah, Daenerys’ protector, he was trying to protect his team and The Doctor from the Weeping Angels in this set of Matt Smith-led episodes. 

Anthony Head

Anthony Head played Rupert Giles in 123 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Uther Pendragon in 43 episodes of Merlin. He also portrayed the evil headmaster Lassar in one episode of Doctor Who – “School Reunion” – back in its second season alongside David Tennant. 

Jacob Anderson 

You likely remember Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm from Game of Thrones or Louis de Pointe du Lac in the series Interview with a Vampire. In the midst of all that, he joined Season 13 of Doctor Who for a recurring role as Vinder, a pilot and guardian who watches from Observation Outpost Rose and worked with the Thirteenth Doctor across seven episodes. 

As you can see, the list of actors who have made minor appearances on Doctor Who is long and wickedly impressive. From legendary actors like Ian McKellen and Olivia Colman and modern TV staples like Jonathan Bailey and Brett Goldstein, it’s hard to believe that all these folks aided (or tried to stop) The Doctor on their wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey journey through time and space, but they all did!

The X-Men have had a wild ride on the big screen. The franchise has already been essentially rebooted once already, and that’s expected to happen again with the characters' impending arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There have been some bad movies in the series, but there have also been some excellent ones. One of the nearly universally beloved entries is X-Men: First Class, a movie that was originally conceived as a Magneto movie. Michael Fassbender recently talked about why he signed on to the project to play the younger Magneto.

X-Men: First Class turned back the clock and introduced younger versions of many of the popular characters. One of the most important, and most popular, was Michael Fassbender’s Magneto, who recently told Vanity Fair he was drawn to the role because of the character's conflict and motivations. Fassbender said…

Magneto is one of the more popular comic book villains, in large part because a fair number of people agree with him. He ultimately rejects Professor X’s attempts for mutants and humans to co-exist, because he feels mutants are ultimately superior, and being a survivor of Nazi concentration camps, he understands what humans who hate are capable of and he doesn’t want to give them a chance to do the same thing to mutants.

Magneto’s stance is understandable, even if you don’t condone it, which makes the character a great deal more interesting than a comic book villain who is simply evil for its own sake or wants to take over the world. And maybe he just needs a hug, but he’s not likely to accept it from anybody willing to give it.

At this point, it seems Fassbender’s time as Megneto is probably over. It's unlikely we'll see him in any upcoming Marvel movies, but under the circumstances, we can’t be 100% sure of that. We’ve seen a couple of members of the Fox/X-Men franchise appear in Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, including most recently in the mid-credits scene of The Marvels, and while we haven’t seen anybody from the First Class era yet, we can’t be sure it won’t happen.

Among the many rumors regarding Deadpool 3 cameos is that Ian McKellan will appear as his version of Magneto, and it’s not like the movie couldn’t contrive a reason to include the other actors as well, including Fassbender. 

Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are best known together for being on opposite sides in the X-Men movie franchise. But in reality, the two are very good friends and have been for a very long time. They’ve known each other since the ‘70s when they worked in the theater together. When Stewart decided to make the jump to television to star in Star Trek: The Next Generation, he told his friend McKellen, who apparently tried to talk him out of it.

In Patrick Steward’s new memoir Making It So (via Insider), he reveals that when he told his friend Ian McKellen about his plan to sign the contract to star in the new Star Trek series, McKellen was dead set against the idea, believing that Stewart was throwing away his theater career to do TV. Stewart writes… 

Acting seems to have become more democratized in recent years, with even major names shifting between movies, TV, and the stage fairly easily. But back in the late ‘80s, there were still stronger distinctions between the mediums. Television was definitely seen, by both stage and film actors, as being lesser, so it’s not surprising that McKellen reacted this way.

It’s even possible that Stewart could have listened to his friend and decided not to do it. Stewart would have certainly been a star in the theater, but we might have been robbed of not just his future TV work, but film appearances as well. 

It's basically impossible to imagine Star Trek: The Next Generation without Patrick Stewart. Picard is iconic and one of the roles for which Stewart will always be associated. The role was big enough that it spawned its own follow-up, Star Trek: Picard, which ended recently after a three-season run.

Luckily, Stewart had already decided he was going to do Star Trek. He explained to McKellen that he felt he would always be able to go back to the theater if the show didn’t work out, but he didn’t want to pass on an opportunity that he wasn’t sure he’d have again. Stewart continued… 

For his part, Ian McKellen, who would go on to his own successful career on the screen as well as the stage, has since admitted that he was wrong to try and talk his friend out of the TV show. Stewart says he enjoys making McKellen admit he was wrong often. 

While only two years passed between the release of Deadpool and Deadpool 2, the public is still waiting for Deadpool 3’s arrival. To be fair, there was initially uncertainty if the threeqeul would even move forward following Disney acquiring 20th Century Fox, but by late 2020, it was clear that it would indeed be included on the upcoming Marvel movies slate. Cut to the present day, we know quite a but more about what Deadpool 3 holds in store, but there’s also much about this movie that’s being kept officially secret. Unofficially, however, it’s a different story.

Rumors surrounding superhero movies are nothing new, but there’s been an especially high number of wild claims about Deadpool 3, specifically on the casting front. That’s because like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Loki, Deadpool 3 looks like it will delve into the Marvel multiverse, which will supposedly open the door to not only reunite with other familiar faces from past Marvel movies, but also include some big-name actors playing notable roles. 

To be clear, none of the names mentioned are remotely close to being a sure thing, and some are less plausible than others. Still, as we wait for Deadpool 3 to resume production, it’s worth going over the wildest casting rumors surrounding the Merc with the Mouth’s third theatrical adventure. Also, we aren’t covering alleged character identities for confirmed members of the Deadpool 3 cast, like who Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfayden are supposedly playing.

Karl Urban And Taron Egerton As Other Versions Of Wolverine

A year ago, it was announced that Hugh Jackman will reprise Wolverine in Deadpool 3, a 180 turn from when he’d once said Logan would be his last outing in the role. It’s since been reported that Jackman will play multiple versions of Wolverine, and a more recent rumor claimed that Ryan Reynolds’ Wade will be traveling through the multiverse to find the “perfect Wolverine.” However, as established by No Way Home and Loki, not all variants look the same, which can range from slightly different facial features to being a member of a different species.

With that in mind, Karl Urban and Taron Egerton are both rumored to be playing alternate versions of Wolverine, with Giant Freakin’ Robot sharing the former’s supposed inclusion and the latter casting coming from The DisInsider. Both actors have been suggested by fans to take over as Wolverine in the MCU, and considering that John Krasinski, a popular fan choice for Mister Fantastic, was selected to play the stretchy superhero in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it wouldn’t be completely out of left field for Deadpool 3 to do something similar with Urban and Egerton.

Lots Of Other Established Fox-Era X-Men Characters

Deadpool 3 won’t be lacking in X-Men characters, because along with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine reprisal, we’ll also reunite with Stefan Kapičić's Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand's Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Shioli Kutsuna's Yukio. But that may just be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. In May 2023, Twitter user @CanWeGetSomeToast claimed that James Marsden, Famke Janssen and Halle Berry were on deck to respectively reprise Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm, making this threequel sound like it would be the mutant version of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Then the following August, the aforementioned DisInsider video shared a bunch of other surprising Marvel cameos in Deadpool 3. As far as the established X-Men and Deadpool characters went, along with Janssen and Berry being mentioned again, the list included Brian Cox as William Striker, Lewis Tan as Shatterstar, Dafne Keen as X-23, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Ian McKellen as Magneto. It was clarified that all these appearances remain “unconfirmed,” and frankly, it would be bonkers if all these people showed up. And we’re only on Entry #2 of this list!

Various Fox-Era Fantastic Four Characters

The Fantastic Four didn’t have as much luck under the 20th Century Fox umbrella, but there are fans of 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer out there (2015’s Fantastic Four, not nearly as much). So between that and all the other Fox-era Marvel movie coverage Deadpool 3 is rumored to have, it’s not terribly surprising to hear that this version of Marvel’s First Family might be getting some attention, per scooper DanielRPK (via Deadpool Updates). 

Assuming this is true, it’s unclear if the entire quartet would appear, or if we’d only see a few of the members, such as Chris Evans’ Human Torch and Michael Chiklis’ Thing. Additionally, one of the other characters mentioned in that DisInsider video was Julian McMahon’s Doctor Doom. Whether we would actually see him actually fighting the Fantastic Four again or if Wade Wilson would visit him separately is also unclear.

Ben Affleck As Daredevil

More than a decade before he was selected as the DC Extended Universe’s Batman, Ben Affleck first jumped into the superhero genre by playing the title protagonist of 2003’s Daredevil, a.k.a. Matt Murdock. Well, in June 2023, Twitter user KC Walsh shared that Affleck was seen on the Deadpool 3 set, which understandably kicked off speculation that he’d be reprising Marvel’s Man Without Fear, which Walsh said in a separate tweet was “likely,” though it couldn’t be verified at the time.

Now it’s looking like this particular casting rumor won’t pan out. In September, Walsh tweeted that Affleck was actually on the set to visit his kids and ex-wife Jennifer Garner, not suit back up as Daredevil. Why would he be seeing them there? Well, that brings us to the next person on this list.

Jennifer Garner As Elektra

Shortly after the rumor of Ben Affleck’s Daredevil reprisal started making the rounds, THR shared that Jennifer Garner will reprise Elektra, who first appeared in Daredevil, then led her own spinoff movie in 2005. Garner previously worked with Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy on The Adam Project, but when Levy was asked about if he would indeed re-team with the actress, he simply said that he’d “rather not weigh in on that.”

Of all the casting rumors on this list, this one seems the most likely to be accurate given that it originated from a major Hollywood trade publication. That’s not to say all scoops from such sources end up being true, but more often than not, if a place like THR is reporting it, then it’s likely to be the real deal. Also, one could argue Levy’s reluctance to comment on whether or not Garner is involved rather than just debunk the claim adds authenticity. 

Elizabeth Olsen As Scarlet Witch

When we last saw Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, specifically the Earth-616 version of Wanda Maximoff, she was being buried by the collapsing Mount Wundagore, seemingly sacrificing her life to destroy all the copies of the Darkhold in the multiverse. However, it still hasn’t been officially clarified if Scarlet Witch is dead, and many fans believe we’ll see her again someday. However, evidently a different version of Wanda will appear in Deadpool 3.

That DisInsider video mentioned Wanda as one of the cameos, but a later report from Cosmic Circus alleged that we’ll see the Earth-838 version of the character instead. Deadpool 3 will supposedly return to Earth-838 to explore how that reality has become a dystopian landscape following the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This report also mentioned that Ian McKellen will be playing the 838-Magneto, who is Wanda’s father like in the comics, and together they are members of the new Illuminati. This feels like a storyline that should be saved for another Marvel project rather than crammed into Deadpool 3, so it’d probably be worth taking this rumors with a bigger grain of salt.

Various Loki Characters

Loki Season 1 ended with the multiverse being unleashed once Sylvie killed He Who Remains, and while Season 2 will explore the direct consequences of that action, apparently some of its leading characters will find themselves meeting the Merc with the Mouth sometime afterwards. The DisInsider video mentioned that both Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson will respectively reprise Loki and Mobius, with the latter having been previously reported to appear by The Hot Mic in March 2023.

Additionally, it was reported that the Time Variance Authority mascot Miss Minutes will be in Deadpool 3, although the character’s voice actress, Tara Strong, later told Agents of Fandom she hadn’t heard about this. Whether or not Loki and/or Mobius will pop up remains to be seen, but it’s not like it would be entirely unprecedented for them to somehow be drawn into the multiversal shenanigans unfolding in the movie.

Channing Tatum As Gambit

For many years, Channing Tatum was in deck to play Gambit in Fox’s X-Men franchise, taking over the role from X-Men Origins: Wolverine’s Taylor Kitsch. Unfortunately, the Gambit movie was kept getting hit with setbacks and delays, and once Disney acquired Fox in 2019, the project was shelved. And yet, Tatum may get the opportunity to play the card-throwing mutant after all.

The aforementioned @CanWeGetSomeToast claimed the actor will appear in Deadpool 3 wearing a “comic accurate” Gambit suit. If this rumor ends up being accurate, this cameo will be similar to how Nicolas Cage appeared in The Flash as Superman, a reference to the un-produced Superman Lives. In Tatum’s case though, he obviously won’t need to be digitally de-aged.

Taylor Swift As Dazzler

Following speculation that Dazzler would appear in Dark Phoenix, the character did indeed show up, albeit as a minor player brought to life by Halston Sage. But if the word on the proverbial street is true, then Dazzler is about to get some much bigger exposure, as the DisInsider video from earlier mentioned that Taylor Swift will play her in Deadpool 3.

Now to be fair, Swift does have a few acting credits, including The Lorax, Cats and Amsterdam, and obviously casting her to play a popular mutant singer would be a no-brainer. But for now, it’s hard to say if this rumor has any merit, and even if it does end up being true, like most of the other people on this list, she’ll presumably only briefly appear rather than have a major supporting role.

Daniel Radcliffe In A “Secret” Role

Following the conclusion of the main Harry Potter film series in 2011, Daniel Radcliffe has steered clear from big franchise movies, but perhaps Deadpool 3 will end that streak. Daniel Richtman (via ComicBookMovie) alleged that the actor has snagged a “secret” role in the threequel. There’s been no shortage of thoughts on who this mysterious character might be, but one theory seems to be getting more traction.

Like Karl Urban and Taron Egerton, may fans believe Radcliffe is playing a Wolverine variant since he’s another actor who’s been frequently fancast in the role. And just like those two, along with John Krasinski as Mister Fantastic, this would give the Harry Potter actor an opportunity to bring Wolverine to life for a short spell, rather than commit to playing the character for multiple movies. It’s the best of both worlds, but for now, we simply don’t know if Radcliffe will indeed be in Deadpool 3, let alone who he’s playing.

Rest assured that if any of these casting rumors are verified, we’ll let you know. Deadpool 3 is still officially set for May 3, 2024, though that will likely change given how principal photography remains paused.

Being selective in one’s career can open as many doors as it closes, and a legend like Sir Ian McKellen certainly understands that. When it came to landing his role as Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings franchise, it was definitely a door opening for the English actor, and he understands it. Reflecting on accepting the part of the wizened wizard, McKellen had a message for those who passed it up before him: “I hope they feel silly.” 

How Ian McKellen Looks Back On Accepting The Part Of Gandalf

As it turns out the X-Men vet found himself stepping into yet another role that required his talents, which saw him taking his latest gig in the film The Critic. Speaking with Variety on behalf of that project, Ian McKellen was asked how he felt about not being the initial casting choice for this 2023 new movie release, to which he responded with this magical story:

Ian McKellen has also had his own experiences on the other side of the coin, as past rumors had pegged the stage and screen legend as turning down the role of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter franchise. While McKellen personally debunked that story, he has stories from both sides of the coin to share. In the case of The Lord of the Rings, Ian McKellen couldn’t have been more fortunate; especially considering the “silly” competition that was also up for the role.

More “Silly” Actors Who Turned Down Gandalf In The Lord Of The Rings

Anthony Hopkins and Sean Connery weren’t the only A-listers who rejected Gandalf’s cinematic quest. In a talk show appearance back in 2015, Christopher Plummer fessed up to passing on Lord of the Rings, stating that “there are other countries I'd like to visit before I croak." Although there’s an even more surprising candidate that isn’t as widely reported as any of the names we’ve mentioned above. 

During an oral history with The Independent, none other than Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis was subtly mentioned as someone who let the part of Gandalf out of his grasp. Admittedly, he’s the youngest candidate who could have shepherded the likes of humans, elves, dwarves, and hobbits through all of Middle-Earth in the quest to vanquish the One Ring. It could have worked, but with Ian McKellen already enshrined in this historic undertaking, it’s harder to imagine, even in theory.

With his time in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world seemingly wrapped, Sir Ian casts a long shadow for anyone who may step into Gandalf’s robes in the future. As Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power makes its way to Season 2, and based on what we know about The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, there’s plenty of room for this mythic presence to return. Should that ever happen, you can bet that actors will be tripping over each other for a chance at the role, which could look just as silly as passing on the part when you think about it. 

Those looking to go there and back again with The Lord of the Rings trilogy can currently stream those movies on Max. Meanwhile, The Rings of Power Season 1 can be streamed through the use of a Prime Video subscription.

It's been over 80 years since J.R.R. Tolkien published his first book set in Middle Earth, and to this day the fantasy franchise is still going strong, as shows like Amazon's The Rings of Power series is considered a big win for the streamer and the original movies are still watched by the masses. But when one fan decided to dress up as Gandalf the Grey on a pub crawl in West England, he had no idea he’d actually bump into the famed actor who played him in multiple Lord of the Rings movies, Sir Ian McKellen. 

Last week, one TikTok user shared a wild video of their friend meeting Ian McKellan while dressed up as his most famous character while out for a Lord of the Rings-themed birthday. Check it: 

Talk about the best birthday present ever for 22-year-old Ben Coyles, who was the one in the video dressed as Gandalf! It reminds us of the time Gandalf made his way to Hobbiton to be part of Bilbo Baggins 111th birthday at the top of the first of the Lord of the Rings movies, Fellowship of the Ring. 

Following the TikTok video wracking up hundreds of thousands of likes, his friends shared with the Lancashire Telegraph about how the moment occurred. In Felix Spencer’s words: 

Imagine Ian McKellan’s surprise to just be going about his evening only to see a group of people passing by dressed up as Lord of the Rings characters at the same time. McKellan certainly could have kept walking and not brought attention to himself, but it sounds like he sweetly asked if the birthday boy wanted to meet him, clearly seeing he was fan, and then the sweet TikTok exchange occurred.

Scarlet Learmonth, who posted the viral video also spoke about witnessing the sweet exchange. As she shared: 

Learmonth also told the outlet that her friend especially deserved the unexpected fan moment because he and his girlfriend have been raising money for MND and ME, a charity that supports people with Motor Neurone Disease. You never know who you’ll meet on the street I guess, for both parties involved, what an absolutely ridiculous, but awesome roll of fate.

The story definitely makes one want to relive the Lord of the Rings franchise, which is currently streaming for those with an HBO Max subscription. And while you’re at it, read the perspective of the movies from a CinemaBlend writer who watched the LOTR films for the first time. Fans of Tolkien’s fantasy series can also look forward to upcoming Lord of the Rings movies from Warner Bros, which Elijah Wood has some thoughts on, as well as Season 2 of Rings of Power.

The X-Men film franchise that existed for two decades came to an end in 2020 with the release of Josh Boone's The New Mutants, but just because that continuity is no longer expanding doesn't mean that everything about it has been abandoned. Sir Patrick Stewart recently reprised the role of Professor X for a surprise cameo in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, and fans will soon see the return of Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in Deadpool 3. What else the future might hold is presently unclear... but we now have high hopes of not only getting more of Charles Xavier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also more of Sir Ian McKellen's Erik Lehnsherr a.k.a. Magneto.

The reason we are now more optimistic than ever for this is because of quotes directly from Patrick Stewart. Entertainment Tonight recently caught up with the beloved actor, who is currently promoting the third and final season of the Paramount+ series Picard, and the outlet asked him about Ian McKellen's reaction to his most recent turn as Professor X. It turns out that McKellen was very positive about it, and Stewart explained that neither of them is "done" with their respective X-Men roles:

Professor X and Magneto have been recast before in live-action – with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender playing younger versions of the hero and villain in X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix – but love for the Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen iterations has never dissipated. For many, they are the true big screen versions of the characters, and it very much seems now like fans have been given permission to be excited about seeing them returning to their respective roles. 

But when could it happen? Obviously that's a big question, and we currently have no idea what the answer is. If we're talking sooner rather than later, Deadpool 3 very much seems like a logical opportunity for Marvel, given its already established links to the X-Men canon, but we also can't discount the possibility that the specialness of Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen coming back together will be saved for one of Marvel's major upcoming event movies – specifically Avengers: Secret Wars. 

Needless to say, Marvel fans will be waiting with baited breath for this tease to become a reality. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for the latest updates on this front, and check out our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV features to learn about everything that is on the way from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And if you're feeling impatient/nostalgic, you can always revisit Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen's past performances as Professor X and Magneto. The original X-Men blockbuster from 2000 is available to watch on Starz, and X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Logan are all available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

Over the years, over 350 actors have portrayed Arthur Conan Doyle's titular detective character, Sherlock Holmes. From the early days of silent films to today's streaming giants, the world cannot seem to get enough of the deductive hero and his inquisitive sidekick, Dr. Watson. The character has been reimagined several times over the years, and has been modernized to fit the sensibilities of an ever changing audience.

With iterations spanning almost 100 years, here are some notable Sherlock Holmes movies and TV shows, and how you can watch them now. 

Sherlock Holmes Film Series (1939-1946)

In the early days of film, one of the first notable portrayals of Sherlock Holmes came from British actor Basil Rathbone. The actor, along with Nigel Bruce, who played his sidekick Dr. John Watson, made fourteen films based off the work of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. The first two films were produced by 20th Century Fox and took place during the Victorian era. Universal Pictures produced the latter twelve films and updated them to fit the 20th century and contained elements relating to WWII. The first three films in the series were directed by Sidney Lanfield, Alfred L. Werker, and John Rawlins, with the remainder helmed by Roy William Neill.

The list of films includes: The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror, Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon, Sherlock Holmes in Washington, Sherlock Homes Faces Death, The Spider Woman, The Scarlett Claw, The Pearl Death, The House of Fear, The Woman in Green, Pursuit to Algiers, Terror by Night, and Dressed to Kill. 

Stream The Hound of the Baskervilles on Tubi. 
Stream Dressed to Kill on Paramount+.

The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959)

In 1959, directer Terence Fisher directed another adaptation of the Doyle novel The Hound of the Baskervilles. The film starred Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes and André Morrell as Dr. Watson. The film also featured Dracula's Christopher Lee as Henry Baskerville. The movie follows Holmes and Watson as they investigate a mysterious "hound" curse that has been prevalent in the Baskerville family following a centuries old murder. 

Rent/buy The Hound of the Baskervilles on YouTube.

Murder By Decree (1979)

Murder by Decree is another adaptation of a Doyle novel, called Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution. The Sound of Music's Christopher Plummer portrays Sherlock Holmes in this iteration, and performs alongside the legendary James Mason as Dr. John Watson. The film is directed by Bob Clark and was produced by Warner Bros. Pictures. 

The story follows Holmes, who investigates the serial killer Jack the Ripper as a private detective. The police try to deter Holmes by refusing his help in the investigation, but he prevails by gaining assistance from Robert Lees, played by Donald Sutherland. 

Stream Murder By Decree on Redbox.
Rent/buy Murder By Decree on Amazon.

The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes TV Series (1984-1994)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was a British tv series for ITV Granada. It ran for 10 years, and featured adaptations from Doyle's novels, as well as brand new original detective stories featuring the character. British actor Jeremy Bratt became best known for portraying the titular character on English television, and was accompanied by David Burke, and later Edward Hardwicke, as John H. Watson. 

The series spanned nine seasons and was created by Michael Cox. The stories involved Holmes consulting the police in a variety of cases, as well as taking on his own cases as a private detective alongside military veteran John Watson, who lives with him at 221B Baker Street.

Stream The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on Britbox.

Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)

Young Sherlock Holmes was a reimagining of Sherlock Holmes helmed by Rain Man director Barry Levinson, which was written by Home Alone director Christopher Columbus. The film shows Holmes as a precocious teen in boarding school, who meets his bemused best friend and sidekick, John Watson. The two try to solve a series of suspicious deaths that occur on the school's campus. The titular character is played by Nicholas Rowe and John Watson is played by Alan Cox.

Stream Young Sherlock Holmes on YouTube.
Rent/buy Young Sherlock Holmes on Amazon.

Without A Clue (1988)

Without a Clue is a comedy adaptation of the famous characters. This film also reimagines them, flipping the characterizations of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. This Thom Eberhardt helmed filmed sees Dr. Watson as the brilliant detective, with "Sherlock Holmes" being an actor pretending to be a detective so Watson can maintain his reputation in the medical world. Without a Clue stars veteran actor Michael Caine as Sherlock Holmes, and Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley as John Watson. 

Rent/buy Without a Clue on AppleTV+.

Sherlock Holmes Film Series (2009-present)

The 2000s saw more stylistic iterations of the Sherlock Holmes stories on screen. In 2009, director Guy Richie helmed two films about the Arthur Conan Doyle character for Warner Bros. Pictures. The films are titled Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, and star Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson. The original film is about the eccentric detective's journey into investigating a mysticist's plan to control England by mysterious and magical means. The subsequent film follows Holmes and Watson as they travel throughout Europe, trying to foil Professor Moriarty's plan to instigate a global conflict. 

A third film in the series has been announced and is set to be directed by Rocketman helmer, Dexter Fletcher. Downey Jr. and Law are said to be planning to reprise their roles. 

Stream Sherlock Holmes on Netflix.
Stream Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows on Netflix.

Rent/buy Sherlock Holmes on Amazon.
Rent/buy Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows on Amazon.

Sherlock TV Series (2010-2017)

One of the most popular Sherlock Holmes imaginings comes from the BBC, when the television series, Sherlock, became internationally beloved. Dr. Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch's breakthrough performance as Sherlock on the series helped make him the household name he is today. He starred alongside The Hobbit actor Martin Freeman, who portrayed John Watson on the series. 

The show is set during a contemporary period with an eccentric, awkward Holmes at the center. He moves in with Watson, who acts as his right hand man as they investigate a series of crimes that Holmes' nemesis, Professor Moriarty (played by Fleabag's Andrew Scott), may or may not be behind. The series ran for four seasons, and contained 13 episodes, including a Victorian-set holiday special.

Stream Sherlock on Philo.
Buy Sherlock on Amazon.

Elementary TV Series (2012-2019)

Sherlock Holmes also got a 21st century American update on CBS. The long-running network television series, Elementary, portrayed Holmes as a disgraced former detective who left London for New York City after a stint in rehab. He is given a sober companion in the States, Dr. Joan Watson, who lost her medical license and now helps former addicts maintain sobriety. To ward off his addiction, Holmes becomes a consultant for the NYPD. Sherlock was portrayed Jonny Lee Miller on the series, with a female reimagining of Watson played by Kill Bill's Lucy Liu. The show ran for seven seasons and was created by Robert Doherty.

Stream Elementary on Hulu.
Buy Elementary on Amazon.

Mr. Holmes (2015)

In 2015, Beauty and the Beast director Bill Condon directed Mr. Holmes. The film was adapted from A Slight Trick of Mind, written by Mitch Cullen, and was inspired by Doyle's characters. Mr. Holmes gives audiences an older Sherlock Holmes, played by Sir Ian McKellen. The title detective is 93, retired, and living in Sussex. He struggles to remember details from his last unsolved case, as his mind is starting to slip. The film also co-stars Ozark's Laura Linney as Mrs. Munro, and is as heartwarming as the trailer suggests.

Stream Mr. Holmes on PlutoTV.
Rent/buy Mr. Holmes on Vudu.

Enola Holmes Film Series (2020, 2022)

Enola Holmes is a film series that reimagines the Sherlock Holmes story by giving him a young sister, Enola Holmes. The films are adapted from The Enola Holmes Mysteries book series by Nancy Springer, and are helmed by Fleabag director Harry Bradbeer.

The critically acclaimed first film follows Enola (played by Millie Bobby Brown) who is the spunky sibling to the celebrated detective (portrayed here by Henry Cavill). While tracking down her missing mother, she embarks on an adventure to save the entire country during the Victorian era. The sequel, Enola Holmes 2, features another puzzling mystery and follows the titular heroine who tries to make a name for herself as a professional detective while living in her brother's shadow. Both films feature an all-star cast, and a version of the iconic John Watson character, as played by Himesh Patel.

Stream Enola Holmes on Netflix.
Stream Enola Holmes 2 on Netflix.

Sherlock Holmes always seems like an inspiration for filmmakers and writers to draw upon, so there will likely be even more films to note in the future. But for now, there are several incredible versions of the beloved detective to check out at this moment. We will continue to keep an eye out for another RDJ take on the character, or another Millie Bobby Brown reimagining, so make sure to keep checking back with CinemaBlend.

Massive spoilers for the Season 1 finale of Rings of Power are ahead, proceed with caution. 

One of the more mysterious characters among the Rings of Power cast is The Stranger. The theories surrounding the character that fell from the sky have run the gamut from good to evil, and some fans have gotten very creative with their theories, as The Stranger actor explained. 

After the Season 1 finale of the Lord of the Rings prequel, there is a chance that he could be one of the most iconic characters from the original fellowship. A certain wizard by the name of Gandalf. Although, nothing is truly confirmed, as the showrunner explained. Though it seems highly likely this theory will prove to be true.

How The Finale Possibly Sets The Stranger Up As Gandalf

Throughout Season 1 we know nothing about The Stranger. When he crash-landed in Middle-earth he had no idea who he was. As the season continued we learned that this mysterious meteor man had magical powers. This led some fans, and the Mystics on the show, to believe The Stranger was the evil Sauron (we also find out who Sauron is too in the finale, but that's a whole other story).

Then in the finale, when the Mystics show up we learn The Stranger is actually a powerful wizard. After defeating the Mystics, proclaiming that he is good, and saving Harfoot Nori Brandyfoot and company, the mystics say: 

We later find out that “Istar” translates to “wise one” or “wizard.” As the finale comes to a close we find out The Stranger is headed to Rhûn as he tries to work out who he is. While all signs seem to point to Gandalf, the showrunners have remained tight-lipped on the mysterious man’s true identity. 

What The Showrunner Says About Gandalf Speculation 

Despite all this setup, the showrunners won’t confirm or deny if The Stranger is indeed this iconic Lord of the Rings Character. While chatting with NYT after the finale, Patrick McKay said:  

According to Mashable there are five Istari who make their way to Middle-earth. There’s "Saruman the White, Radagast the Brown, and two Blue Wizards.” It’s entirely possible we’ll meet a new wizard in Season 2, but it could also be one of the many we’ve already met. 

What I Think About It 

I think The Stranger is most definitely Gandalf. Toward the end of the episode when he is chatting with Nori about where he’ll go next he imparts some touching life advice that truly reminded me of something the wizard played by the great Ian McKellen would say: 

Tell me that’s not something the great Gandalf the Grey would say. There’s also lots of other parallels fans have pointed out that I agree with. For example, as The Stranger traveled with the Harfoots it was reminiscent of the beloved wizard traveling and helping the hobbits in the original trilogy. He also loves nature in the same way Gandalf does. The other big connection that makes me think this is 100% the wizard we know and love is when he tells Nori: 

As many astute viewers have pointed out, McKellen's iconic character says this exact line to Merry in Fellowship of the Ring. This caused me to have an ah-ha moment, and then I promptly joined the Stranger is Gandalf bandwagon. 

However, nothing is confirmed so the theories about the Mystery Meteor Man will continue into Season 2, as he tries to figure out who he was before he landed in Middle-earth. 

As one of the biggest shows on the Fall TV schedule this year, millions have been left to wonder who The Stranger really is, as well as what is going to happen in Season 2. While we won’t know for a while you can go back and pick apart all the details, and draw your own conclusions by watching Rings of Power with an Amazon Prime subscription. 

As far as ratings go, at least those handed out by the Motion Picture Association, there is nothing more extreme these days than NC-17. That means no one under the age of 18 can be admitted to a movie with this rating for a multitude of reasons.

Some directors, producers, and studios will re-cut their films to get an R-rating, but there are plenty of NC-17 movies that have been left unedited and sent out into the wild as is, which has resulted in limited releases of some of the most notorious movies of all time. Find out why these films were branded this way, as well as how you can watch them if you are curious, in the following list.

Henry & June (1990) - Fred Ward, Uma Thurman

What better way to start than with the very first movie to earn the NC-17 rating – according to SlashFilm – Henry & June. Director Philip Kaufman’s adaptation of Anaïs Nin’s memoir focuses on a love triangle between novelist Henry Miller (Fred Ward), his wife, June (Uma Thurman), and the French-American author (portrayed by Thurman’s future fellow Pulp Fiction cast member, Maria de Medeiros) in 1930s Paris. Despite its controversially explicit sexual content, the drama was a mild critical and commercial success and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography.

Buy Henry & June on Blu-ray on Amazon.  

Killer Joe (2012) - Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple

Directed by the late William Friedkin and written by 2019’s Little Women cast member Tracy Letts (also based on his stage play), Killer Joe stars Emile Hirsch as an indebted young man who hatches a plan to have his mother (played by Gina Gershon) killed to collect insurance money. Matthew McConaughey gives one of his most underrated performances as the titular hitman he hires, whose fee is so high that he agrees to let his teenage sister (Juno Temple) be treated as collateral.

According to Deadline, the shamelessly twisted crime thriller was released with an NC-17 rating after Friedkin and distributor LD Entertainment opted not to change its ending. While an R-rated version of the film was later made available for home viewing, those interested in seeing it in its original form could also seek out the unrated director’s cut of Killer Joe instead.

Rent or buy Killer Joe on Amazon.
Buy Killer Joe on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Mysterious Skin (2004) - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

One of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s best movies from earlier in his career is Mysterious Skin, in which he plays a gay teen making a living as a sex worker who recalls a disturbing encounter from his childhood through narration. Meanwhile, another teen, played by Brady Corbet, struggles to figure out the truth behind a blackout he suffered when he was younger, leading the two men to cross paths unexpectedly.

Writer and director Gregg Araki is notorious for including pervasive sexual content in his films, but the NC-17 rating for Mysterious Skin – also starring Elisabeth Shue and Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast member Michelle Trachtenberg – was largely determined by its graphic depiction of pedophilia. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the challenging subject matter sparked controversy when the Australian Family Association feared child predators could use the film as a grooming tool or for their own gratification.
 
Rent or buy Mysterious Skin on Amazon.
Buy Mysterious Skin on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1989) - Antonio Banderas

In one of his many racy collaborations with writer and director Pedro Almodóvar, Antonio Banderas stars in Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! as Ricky, who is released from a mental hospital with the intent of finding love. So, he tracks down a former adult film star, played by Victoria Abril, whom he once shared an intimate encounter with and takes her prisoner in hopes he can convince her to be his wife.

According to Gwyne Edwards’ 2001 book Almodóvar: Labyrinths of Passion, the controversial subject matter of Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! was instrumental in the creation of the NC-17 rating itself. Thus, the MPA branded it as such in 1990 for a “scene of strong adult sensuality with nudity,” according to FilmRatings.com.

Stream Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Max.
Rent or buy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Amazon.
Buy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Blu-ray Amazon.

Blonde (2022) - Ana de Armas

Based on the book by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde is director Andrew Dominik’s in-depth and fictionalized look at the tragically short life of Norma Jeane Baker, better known as Marilyn Monroe. Ana de Armas disappears into the role of one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures, portraying a side of the actress and model that was long kept hidden from the public.

Dominik once said that he anticipated his nearly three-hour biopic would be rated NC-17 before the MPA made it official in June 2022, citing “some sexual content” as the reasoning. The film’s more hardcore scenes would inspire some strong reactions from both critics and audiences since it was made available to stream in 2022.

Stream Blonde on Netflix.

Crash (1996) - James Spader, Holly Hunter

Not to be confused with director Paul Haggis’ Best Picture Oscar winner from 2005, Crash is one of the more bizarre and inventive movies directed by David Cronenberg (which is really saying something). Based on the novel by J.G. Ballard, it stars James Spader as a TV producer who becomes seduced into an unusual and dangerous obsession with car wrecks and the intense, sexually stimulating effect they seem to have on him and others, including his mistress (played by Holly Hunter).

Just from learning the plot, it seems pretty clear why a movie like Crash would have been given the NC-17 rating and why it inspired controversy so pervasive that it was chronicled in a 2001 book called The Crash Controversy: Censorship Campaigns and Film Reception. Nonetheless, it was still relatively well-received by critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes, and earned Cronenberg a Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, despite vehement opposition from the jury’s then-president, Francis Ford Coppola.

Buy Crash on DVD on Amazon.

Descent (2007) - Rosario Dawson

Not to be confused with the Scottish 2005 horror movie THE Descent, this film sees Rosario Dawson giving her most provocative and extreme performance since she broke out in another controversial classic, Kids. This time, she plays a woman who undergoes a dramatic and violent change of character after she is assaulted by a man she meets at a fraternity party.

This brutal and upsetting revenge drama was actually released with two alternative cuts: one rated NC-17 and an R-rated edit that omits seven minutes of footage. Still, both versions contain brutal rape, language, some sexual content and drug use.

Buy Descent on DVD on Amazon.

Showgirls (1995) - Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan

Perhaps the most infamous movie on this list, Paul Verhoeven’s 1995 erotic cult classic, Showgirls, stars a post-Save by the Bell Elizabeth Berkley as a young drifter named Nomi Malone. As she hitchhikes to Las Vegas with dreams of becoming a famous dancer on the Strip, she has some ups and downs on her journey, but finally makes her dreams come true, at a price…

According to the MPA, Showgirls was given its NC-17 rating due to the amount of nudity and erotic sexuality throughout the movie, as well as graphic language and sexual violence. If you’ve seen the movie (and not the VH1 version with digitized bras), you’re well aware of the film’s graphic nature.

Stream Showgirls on Tubi.
Stream Showgirls on Pluto TV.
Buy Showgirls on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Shame (2011) - Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan

Released in 2011, Steve McQueen’s psychological drama, Shame, stars Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan – a successful and dashing executive who is secretly a traumatized sex addict who will do anything and everything to get his kicks in New York City. Just when he thinks life can’t get any worse, his equally damaged sister (Carey Mulligan) storms into his life, causing more complications.

Upon release, Shame was given an NC-17 rating by the MPA for explicit sexual content as well as some truly troubling scenes. I’ve walked out of several movies before, but this was the first I exited simply because what was happening on the screen was way too real and unnerving to finish.

Rent or buy Shame on Amazon.
Buy Shame on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013) - Léa Seydoux 

Abdellatif Kechiche’s 2013 French drama, Blue is the Warmest Color, stars Adèle Exarchopoulos as a high school student who experiences a sexual awakening after meeting an art school student and aspiring painter named Emma, played by James Bond movies actor, Léa Seydoux. Over the years, the two form a contentious and highly-emotional relationship that opens their eyes to a whole new world around them.

Though tamer than some of the other titles on this list, Blue is the Warmest Color was given an NC-17 rating because of the explicit sexual content the MPA felt was unsuitable for younger audiences. However, at least one theater allowed teens to watch the movie upon release.

Rent or buy Blue is the Warmest Color on Amazon.
Buy Blue is the Warmest Color on Blu-ray Amazon.

Bad Lieutenant (1992) - Harvey Keitel

Abel Ferrara’s 1992 crime thriller Bad Lieutenant follows Harvey Keitel as a broken NYPD detective whose stress over his job, life, and gambling habits get the best of him. From one interaction to the next, the unnamed lieutenant falls deeper down the rabbit hole of depravity, committing some irredeemable crimes of his own along the way.

If there has ever been a movie deserving of an NC-17 rating it would have to be Bad Lieutenant. With an abundance of sexual violence, intense sexual situations, endless drug use, and extreme language throughout, it’s no wonder the MPA came down hard on the movie, which later inspired a sequel only in name, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Werner Herzog.

Stream Bad Lieutenant on Tubi.
Rent or buy Bad Lieutenant on Amazon.
Buy Bad Lieutenant on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Orgazmo (1997) - Trey Parker, Matt Stone

Co-writer and director Trey Parker plays a normal Mormon missionary trying to find enough money to support and marry his longtime girlfriend. But when he stumbles upon a porn set, the once strait-laced and deeply devoted young man becomes the biggest thing going in the adult entertainment industry in Orgazmo.

It should come as no surprise that a movie written by the creators of South Park, and one centered on the porn industry, would receive an NC-17 rating from the MPA in 1998. It should come as even less of a surprise that the rating was handed down due to the sexual content and dialogue featured throughout.

Rent or buy Orgazmo on Amazon.
Buy Orgazmo on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Bent (1997) - Clive Owen, Ian McKellen

After being discovered and arrested by the Gestapo in Nazi Germany, Max – a proud gay man played by Clive Owen – is sent on a perilous journey to the Dachau concentration camp where he is subjected to indescribable horrors while still being able to find love.

Possibly one of the most harrowing movies about the Holocaust, Sean Mathias’ 1997 drama Bent is absolutely heartbreaking and disturbing with its graphic displays of violence. Upon its release, the movie received an NC-17 rating from the MPA due to its graphic sexual nature.

Stream Bent on Peacock.
Stream Bent on Tubi.
Stream Bent on Plex.
Rent or buy Bent on Amazon.
Buy Bent on Blu-ray Amazon.

Matador (1986) - Antonio Banderas

In one of his most disturbing roles, Antonio Banderas plays Angel, a young student who confesses to an attempted rape and a series of murders he may or may not have committed, in Pedro Almodóvar’s 1986 dark comedy, Matador.

Just like some of the other movies featuring the director and actor, Matador pushed the limits with its dark, twisted, and oddly humorous story. Still, the MPA would later give the film an NC-17 rating in 2005 (nearly 20 years after initial release) due to “aberrant sexuality” and violence.

Rent or buy Matador on Amazon.
Buy Matador on DVD on Amazon.

The Dreamers (2003) - Eva Green, Michael Pitt

In the midst of the 1968 Student Riots in Paris, an American student named Matthew (played by Michael Pitt) finds himself getting caught up in the lives of formerly conjoined twins – Louis Garrel as Théo and Eva Green as Isabelle – whose relationship is far from normal. When asked to spend a month with the siblings, Matthew falls deeper into their wild and free-flowing lifestyle.

Bernardo Bertolucci’s 2003 erotic drama, The Dreamers, pushes several boundaries and deviates from societal norms to tell a story about young love in the midst of a chaotic time. With the extreme sexual content and nudity, it’s no surprise the MPA gave the movie an NC-17 rating upon release.

Buy The Dreamers on DVD on Amazon.

A Dirty Shame (2004) - Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville

A John Waters movie receiving an NC-17 rating? You don’t say! The filthy filmmaker’s 2004 comedy, A Dirty Shame, follows Tracey Ullman as Sylvia Stickles– a puritanical resident of the Hatford Road area of Baltimore who experiences a sexual awakening after being hit by a car. 

Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, and Chris Isaak also star in A Dirty Shame, which (no shocker here) was given the NC-17 rating by the MPA due to its pervasive sexual content. And if you’ve seen the movie, you are all too aware of just how pervasive and graphic it is.

Rent or buy A Dirty Shame on Amazon.
Buy A Dirty Shame on DVD on Amazon.

Pink Flamingos (1972) - Divine

When Connie (Mink Stole) and Raymond Marble (David Lochary) attempt to steal Babs Johnson’s (Divine) title of “the filthiest person alive,” the down and dirty criminal and her family make it their mission in life to prevent the newcomers from accomplishing their mission by any means necessary.

With scenes featuring incest, people eating dog poop, flashers, and an infamously notorious scene involving a chicken, it shouldn’t shock anyone that John Waters’ classic exploitation comedy film, Pink Flamingos, was given an NC-17 rating by the MPA upon re-release in 1997, 25 years after it first shocked audiences around the world. Maybe that’s why Roger Ebert hated the movie.

Buy Pink Flamingos on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Evil Dead (1981) - Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell stars in the film that kickstarted the Evil Dead franchise as Ash Williams who – along with his girlfriend and a small group of friends – set off for a night away in an isolated cabin. However, the night quickly takes a turn for the worst after they discover the Necronomicon – a powerful book that awakens possessive, malevolent spirits.

Sam Raimi’s classic horror film, The Evil Dead, was initially released with an X rating back in 1981 on account of its substantial graphic violence and gore. It was later given an NC-17 by the MPA when the movie was re-released back in 1994.

Rent or buy The Evil Dead on Amazon.
Buy The Evil Dead on Blu-ray on Amazon.

BONUS: Elles (2011) - Juliette Binoche

The title of Elles refers to the French magazine, Elle, for which Juliette Binoche’s character is researching an article about an underground sex worker ring orchestrated by female college students in Paris. However, the closer she gets to the facts behind the story, the more she begins to question her own personal interests. Graphic sexual content that goes as far as urinary fetishes initially earned this drama from Polish filmmaker Malgoska Szumowska an NC-17 rating.

Buy Elles on Blu-ray on Amazon.

BONUS: Happiness (1998) - Philip Seymour Hoffman 

The late Philip Seymour Hoffman plays one of several interconnected people all searching desperately for the most coveted emotion there is: happiness. Of course, their chosen ways of acquiring it are exactly the kind of reasons this Golden Globe nominee was initially given an NC-17 rating. 

Also starring the likes of Trick ‘r Treat’s Dylan Baker, Twin Peaks cast member Lara Flynn Boyle, and SNL’s Jon Lovitz, Happiness is one of the darkest comedies of its time. However, that does not mean so much when you learn it comes from writer and director Todd Solondz.

Buy Happiness on DVD on Amazon.

Elles and Happiness are some of a few notable examples of films that surrendered their NC-17 ratings upon release and are now deemed “unrated,” such as the aforementioned Kids. However, they are just as challenging and provocative as any of the films listed above, which is why we’ll still count them as NC-17 in our book.

While Middle Earth is home to countless creatures with extended lifespans, humans here on regular Earth are still subject to the normal passage of time. This includes the cast members of The Lord of the Rings, who are unfortunately not gifted with elven immortality. But just how long ago did the movies come out, and how old should you feel about it? The answer is very, very old. Just look at this viral tweet about Viggo Mortensen, a.k.a Aragorn (son of Arathorn, heir of Isildur, et cetera, et cetera). 

Media personality and host of the Culturally Relevant podcast David Chen recently tweeted a rather alarming piece of information regarding the cast of The Lord of the Rings. If you want to feel absolutely prehistoric, take a peek at his post below: 

This is, tragically, one hundred percent true. For context: Sir Ian McKellen is currently 82 years old. He was 61 when he was cast in The Lord of the Rings in 1999. If that fact alone doesn’t make you feel positively ancient, Viggo Mortensen was 42 in 1999, and he turned 63 last October. So David Chen is correct: Viggo Mortensen is indeed older than Gandalf was in The Fellowship of the Ring. 

Naturally, fans had to weigh in on this terrifying statistic. If you look carefully, you can actually see Twitter go through the seven stages of grief. First up: shock (there was a lot of this one): 

After LOTR fans picked themselves up off the ground, they moved on to stage two: denial. It’s not just a river in Gondor. 

Next up, of course, was anger. Maybe not Sauron post-War-of-the-Last-Alliance-level anger - more like 'Gandalf yelling at Pippin after he messes with the palantír' levels of rage. 

Some fans skipped straight to the bargaining portion. Sure, maybe you're old, but can you at least get a sequel out of the deal? 

Now, truth be told, there wasn't a lot of guilt to go around. Depression, however, was available in spades. 

And, to conclude the thrilling saga, we have acceptance and hope. Just like the eagles will rescue you from drowning in Mount Doom lava, so will a LOTR fan remind you of one of the series' main themes: 

Just like Frodo could not control whether or not he found the Ring, we cannot control how old we all felt when we found out that The Fellowship of the Ring celebrated its twentieth anniversary this year. All we can do is choose how to spend the rest of our time. And if you're me, that means choosing to rewatch all of The Lord of the Rings movies on HBO Max - including the newly remastered extended edition of The Return of the King). 

We’re seven years removed from Ian McKellen’s last performance as the great Lord of the Rings’ character Gandalf, and well… I guess a Lord of the Rings and Hobbit marathon is in order then. The 82-year-old actor recently reflected on his casting as the wizard and mentor, and it sounds like Sir McKellen has not lost his modesty about nabbing the beloved role.

Ian McKellen gained A-list Hollywood fame all at once when he was cast as X-Men villain Magneto in the early Fox/Marvel film and scored the role of Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s revered Lord of the Rings trilogy, and later reprised the latter role in the series’ prequels. While speaking about having the opportunity to play Gandalf, he joked:

It sounds like Ian McKellen’s sense of humor was very much intact because obviously we can not think of any other actor better suited for the role. Though, I guess there could be a morsel of truth to his claims that he jumped the line due to the franchise’s filming location. Actors including Sean Connery, Jurassic Park’s Sam Neill and the actor’s X-Men co-star and real-life bestie Patrick Stewart were reportedly in the running for Gandalf.

Ian McKellen also spoke to GQ Magazine about his understanding of the importance of getting the character just right on the big screen ahead of venturing to New Zealand to embody the wizard. In an era before Twitter discourse, he had an early finger on the pulse of the Lord of the Rings fandom because so many people cared about Gandalf in particular. In his words:

It’s sweet to hear the actor had a positive response from fans about the character. Of course, his performance as Gandalf has become a cultural touchstone, especially for his “you shall not pass!” line that has become a popular meme along with being one of the most famous movie lines in recent memory.

These days, Ian McKellen continues to be an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and star in more films, such as Infinitum: Subject Unknown. The Lord of the Rings franchise is moving forward with an Amazon series that will be taking place thousands of years before the timeline of Gandalf and Frodo. A release date has yet to be announced, but we’ll keep you updated!

YouTube superstar and former Dance Moms competitor JoJo Siwa nearly broke the Internet in January after posting a TikTok video where she lip-synced to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." That performance, as it were, basically served as the opening statements for her coming out as part of the LGBTQ community, and she soon followed it up by posting a picture of herself in a gifted T-shirt that read "Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever." Her fanbase went berserk over the reveal, and it even reached the welcoming ears of Lord of the Rings and X-Men vet Sir Ian McKellen.

Following JoJo Siwa's fairly informal coming out party on social media, an unsurprisingly long line of fans and friends were there to reach out and congratulate her. (There were some detractors, but not even they could pull Siwa away from her good vibes.) Along with early responses from celebs such as talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, musician Lil Nas X and Broadway star Todrick Hall, the mega-popular YouTuber also received words of encouragement from the great Ian McKellen, who said this on Twitter:

Perhaps the esteemed British actor caught wind of the stories about JoJo Siwa clapping back against that mom, or maybe he just has his own lifetime of experiences when it comes to dealing with closed-minded fans. Whatever the reason or the case, McKellen's words were championed by many.

Considering JoJo Siwa has been rocking big bows and Pride color schemes for seemingly as long as she's been in the public eye, fans had previously speculated about the entertainer's sexuality, though her relationship with Mark Bontempo, which ended in November 2020, didn't provide easy answers in that department. And for what it's worth, Siwa clarified in a later Instagram video that she didn't know where to place herself on the LGBTQ spectrum, or what label to use for classification, and that she wanted to keep certain private things on the down low until she felt comfortable sharing them with her bazillion followers.

This isn't the first time in 2021 that Sir Ian McKellen took to social media to congratulate a fellow entertainer for going public with a big announcement. Earlier in January, McKellen shared his happiness for Elliot Page after the fellow X-Men franchise co-star came out as transgender in December.

You can check out Ian McKellen's tweet to JoJo Siwa below!

Something tells me Ian McKellen didn't need to worry about JoJo Siwa's happiness, since the Masked Singer vet quite often appears to be the living embodiment of said emotion. Here's hoping we can all find our own pocket of satisfaction and merriment, even if we don't all look as good with bows in our hair as Siwa does.

As Hollywood has been embracing people of different sexual orientations more often, more stars have become open about theirs. But years before this was the norm, X-Men’s Ian McKellen was one of the industry’s few openly gay stars. The acclaimed actor has used his celebrity status to advocate for gay rights. So it’s not surprising that McKellen is happy about former X-Men co-star Elliot Page coming out as transgender.

Throughout the year, Ian McKellen has been revered for his acting skills on stage, film and television. Unlike the reception of Elliot Page’s coming out in 2020, he came out in 1988, a time where being openly gay in Hollywood (or in the public) wasn’t widely accepted. The actor managed to keep his career while encouraging others to come out as well. McKellen talked with Attitude about his excitement over Page’s much-talked-about coming out:

Ian McKellen’s words, while expressing excitement, seem to be more self-reflective and disappointed in his actions (or lack thereof) when it came to Elliot Page’s possible sexuality struggles. But for many young people (or people in general), finding themselves is a journey many must experience on their own.

Like Ian McKellen, many were caught off guard by Elliot Page coming out as transgender. Page gained international recognition as Kitty Pryde in X-Men: The Last Stand, who later appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past. This eventually led them to their breakout role in the critically acclaimed hit film Juno, paving the way to Oscar and BAFTA nominations. In recent years, Page has gone on to produce and direct films and television series such as the 2019 documentary There's Something in the Water and Viceland’s Gaycation. Page currently appears in the hit Netflix series The Umbrella Academy.

Ian McKellen’s long and celebrated career began in the 1950s as a renowned theater actor in London. His film and television career didn’t take until the 1990s when he starred in Six Degrees of Separation and Tales of the City. But his real breakthrough came in the 2000s through the X-Men and Lord of the Rings franchises as Magneto and Gandalf, respectively. In recent years, he has appeared in hit films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Good Liar and Cats.

The actor shouldn’t feel bad about being unaware of Elliot Page’s sexual journey, as he crawled so they could walk with no regrets or backlash. With that said, you can check out Ian McKellen and Page in X-Men: The Last Stand on DVD, Blu-ray and HD Blu-ray, as well as streaming on YouTube, Prime Video and iTunes.

It can never be stated enough that the world spins on the axis of the little things, especially when the internet is involved. We’ve seen debates over dress colors, audio recordings and the quality of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker all become hot button issues, with the takes being just as spicy as the subject matter. Brace yourselves, folks, because we have a new challenger for what debate will burn up social media next. As you’ll see in the tweet below, Sir Ian McKellen has an issue with how his X-Men character Magneto’s name is pronounced, and it’s a pretty good question.

Recently there was a ranking of Sir Ian’s appearances as Magneto in the X-Men series, which feels like a firebrand of a conversation waiting to happen right there. But rather than taking to Twitter to discuss how this ranking cheated by consolidating the “Prequel Trilogy” and the “Original Trilogy” into singular entries, McKellen brought up a query that was sitting right in front of our eyes: how has the world continually called Erik Lehnsherr “Mag-neet-o” and not “Mag-net-o?”

Well, just as sure as Sir Ian McKellen was last seen portraying Magneto in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, it seems that linguistics of the future and the past have always pronounced that particular word in that fashion. Or, at least, that’s what it feels like based on the popular version of that Marvel character’s name. Though, there was some interesting commentary in the tweets responding to this very pressing question.

Everything from the lack of a double T in the name, to the fact that the electrical power generator he’s named after is pronounced that same way, has been brought up in the ensuing scrum. But, of course, we probably haven’t heard the end of this debate for a while. And seeing as Sir Ian McKellen, the man who starred as Magneto in X-Men movie history for many years, is asking the question, it’s not like this question is coming from an invalid source.

It’s going to be a long while until the Marvel Cinematic Universe likely introduces the X-Men characters onto the big screen, so there’s no pressing need to have the answers just yet. But with a new actor undoubtedly stepping into the role, and Sir Ian McKellen’s opinion being quite respected, isn’t it about time we try to figure this out before the next era of X-Men dawns on fans across the world?

No matter how you pronounce his name, or whether you prefer Sir Ian McKellen’s portrayal, Michael Fassbender’s portrayal or any of the various animated incarnations of X-Men’s Magneto, you can find most of this mutant adversary’s works available on Disney+. That’s especially pertinent to those of you who want to know how X-Men: Days of Future Past’s time travel works. Just thought we should mention that, no specific reason why.

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Happy Pride Month! Every June, the world takes time to honor the LGBTQ community in the name of the 1969 Stonewall Riots. There have been large strides in the representation of the community in film and television, but it wasn’t too long ago when the idea of coming out as a public figure was a nerve-wracking concept. Legally Blonde and Titanic actor Victor Garber is reflecting on the day he came out at the age of 63. In his words:

Victor Garber subtly confirmed his sexuality to Greg In Hollywood one day after the Golden Globes, where Jodie Foster did her own public “coming out” while accepting her Cecil B. DeMille award. As Garber told the blogger, he hadn’t talked about it, but “everybody” already knew.

When the Argo actor came out, he’d already been with his partner for 14 years and didn’t try to hide it. I guess the conversation just never came up. While thinking back to his coming out seven years later, Victor Garber told THR that Lord of the Rings’ Gandalf, Ian McKellen, first encouraged him to talk about it publicly:

Ian McKellen's coming out story happened out of activism in the ‘80s when the United Kingdom was introducing a controversial section to the law that would prevent authorities from "intentionally promot[ing] homosexuality or publish[ing] material with the intention of promoting homosexuality.” During a discussion with BBC Radio 3, McKellen spoke out against it, naming himself as a part of the community.

The actor who has also found success in the X-Men films as Magneto, once told HuffPost of how his early coming out informed his work as an actor for years to come with this:

Perhaps one experience that stunted Victor Garber’s coming out until 2013 was when the actor portrayed Liberace for 1988’s Liberace: Behind the Music. After portraying the gay music icon, Garber feels he had trouble finding work on television for years.

This is a past struggle in the industry even Laura Dern felt after portraying a lesbian woman in Ellen DeGeneres’ famed coming out episode of her comedy series in 1997. Dern was at the height of her career and had just starred in Jurassic Park when suddenly the offers stopped coming in.

Hollywood has thankfully shifted (and continues to shift) its perspective on the LGBTQ community since the ‘80s, ‘90s and even just five years ago. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more stories on your favorite actors working today.

It has been nearly 17 years since the greatest modern cinematic trilogy came to a close with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Now, perhaps more than ever amidst multiple disappointing ends to fantasy stories, it is worth looking back fondly on Middle Earth. In a recently revealed diary entry, Ian McKellen recalls the last day of filming on The Lord of the Rings. The iconic actor who played Gandalf wrote:

Ian McKellen’s last day of filming on The Lord of the Rings in July of 2003 was not an easy one. Rather than a quiet conversation scene, Gandalf finished with a flourish: in ferocious battle with some orcs, or as Ian McKellen refers to them, ‘non-existent forces.’ But for enemies that didn’t actually exist, they sure put up a fight and took quite the effort to vanquish.

This final scene was particularly exhausting for Ian McKellen because of the cumbersome and heavy costume he was wearing as Gandalf. He was swinging his sword and had to be as intense as possible, and all the while Peter Jackson sat stationary nearby and shouted for him to put more into it.

But then, just when he felt like he couldn’t go any longer, Peter Jackson cut. It sounds like a personal training session where the coach pushes and pushes until you’re about to break only to stop right before your body gives out. It’s a hell of a way to go out on a massive epic like The Lord of the Rings. Then, following this physically draining final scene, Peter Jackson let everyone know that was a wrap on Ian McKellen as Gandalf.

A few hours later, all the members of the cast and crew came together to celebrate the last day of filming for Ian McKellen and Billy Boyd, who played Pippin and also wrapped that day. They gathered around the Minas Tirith set, and from the battlements, Peter Jackson said a few words about each of them. As Ian McKellen wrote in his blog post on McKellen.com, after Peter Jackson’s remarks, he received a tribute and a special gift:

What a grand sendoff! Producer Barrie Osborne had something of a tribute video played for Ian McKellen that included footage of his magnificent work in the films, as well as some behind-the-scenes flubs. It was a retrospective on years worth of work on the trilogy from the beloved actor.

That wasn’t all. We often hear about actors who finish up work on a film or a long-running TV show, and how they will take something from the set as a souvenir of the experience. Well, Ian McKellen didn’t need to secret away any trinkets to bring back home to commemorate his time on The Lord of the Rings. Barrie Osborne gave the actor who played Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White the sword belonging to Middle Earth’s most meddlesome wizard.

That’s right, on his last day of filming The Lord of the Rings, Sir Ian McKellen was given a weapon befitting a wizard and knight: Glamdring, the Foe-hammer. That is extremely awesome. Unfortunately, when he left New Zealand the next day, Ian McKellen forgot the sword. Hopefully he eventually got it sent to him or maybe he picked it up when he returned to the role for The Hobbit films.

Ian McKellen’s description of his last day of filming on The Lord of the Rings makes it all sound like an incredibly emotional and tear-jerking experience. That’s pretty fitting for a trilogy that ends in such bittersweet fashion, with no shortage of tears for characters and audiences alike as they say goodbye.

But although Ian McKellen felt the emotion as the reality that the experience was coming to an end set in, he managed to keep a stiff upper lip. He knew that the final goodbye wouldn’t happen until the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Although Ian McKellen does not seem to be reprising his role as Gandalf, we can at least take comfort that we will be able to return to Middle Earth for Amazon’s upcoming Lord of the Rings series.

While we await that, check out our 2020 Release Schedule to see what movies are hitting theaters this year.

Sir Patrick Stewart is on his way back to the small screen to reprise his most iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard (although he initially did not want to come back) for his new CBS All Access series, Star Trek: Picard. However, there was someone who advised him against starring as Jean-Luc Picard to begin with all the way back with Star Trek: The Next Generation. That would be Stewart’s X-Men franchise co-star, Ian McKellen.

Fans will recall that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen duked it as Professor X and Magneto, respectively, in the original X-Men movies. Long before those glorious days, Stewart was an actor in London. It is on those streets where Stewart ran into his eventually good friend McKellen. Upon hearing about Stewart’s offer for Star Trek: The Next Generation, McKellen had some advice.

Sharing is caring, and Ian McKellen had some concerns about Patrick Stewart taking on the lead role in Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was going to be a huge shift for Stewart, whose career in Shakespeare was going well. McKellen shared the advice he gave Stewart all those years ago and why, telling Variety:

Now, looking back, Ian McKellen is happy that Patrick Stewart ended up not taking his advice. In all fairness to McKellen, how could he have predicted what was to come? Star Trek: The Next Generation started airing in 1987 and ran for seven seasons before concluding in 1994. Along with the TV show, feature films have also been part of Patrick Stewart’s journey as Jean-Luc Picard.

It is a success that few could have seen coming. Now all these years later, Patrick Stewart is set to reprise his role as the beloved Star Trek icon. Fans can still not get enough of Stewart’s turn as Picard, and they are about to get a lot more. Why does Ian McKellen think Stewart has captivated viewers as Picard? Of his friend’s skills, McKellen said:

What a sweet tribute! Fans are closer than ever to seeing Patrick Stewart bring his acting acumen back to the role of Captain Picard. He apparently had some “priceless input” to bring to the new CBS All Access series, which launches later in January. For as many seasons and films as Stewart has played Picard, his insight must have been incredibly valuable!

It is tough to imagine what would have happened if Patrick Stewart had taken Ian McKellen’s advice! Would there still be a Star Trek: Picard series on its way? Stewart has undoubtedly played an integral role in making Captain Picard the pop culture icon he is today, in my opinion.

It is neat to hear Ian McKellen say that he is glad Patrick Stewart did not take his advice. As for the upcoming Star Trek: Picard, it will not be a sequel to The Next Generation.

It will not be too much longer before the captain makes his much-anticipated return in the potentially shocking series. Patrick Stewart will reprise his role as Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Picard. Season 1 launches Thursday, January 23, on CBS All Access as one of this winter’s premieres.

Warning: spoilers for The Good Liar are in play. If you haven’t seen the film, please bookmark this page and come back once you’ve seen the film.

Twisted mysteries are something that the public certainly has a fascination with. Which is a good thing for director Bill Condon’s most recent film, The Good Liar, as it happens to be a story that could scratch that itch for amateur sleuths. Of course, when things get a little too twisty, it’s good to have a solution key to check, just to straighten things out. So if you’re ready to relive the ending to the film, and figure out who really conned who, you’ve come to the right place.

As usual, there is a prerequisite spoiler warning for this recap of The Good Liar’s ending. So if you haven’t seen the film, and you’re not the type of person that likes to spoil the plot beforehand, turn away. But if you’re ready to get dirty, and dig into the past of Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren’s sordid protagonists, then let’s get started.

What Happened At The End Of The Good Liar?

Throughout The Good Liar, we see Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) and Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren) pursue a sort of courtship; one that even lasts through Betty’s grandson Steven (Russell Tovey) outing him as a German translator who assumed the identity of a British officer that died while the two were hunting a Nazi war criminal shortly after World War II.

After this point in The Good Liar, Roy and Betty’s relationship progresses to that point all of Roy’s cons must arrive at: the joint deposit. Throughout their time together, Roy has been softening her up to the point where she would go ahead with his scheme, thanks to his friend and partner Vincent (Jim Carter) acting as a "banker." The two lovebirds deposit their money into a joint account, and Roy supposedly goes off to see his estranged son as soon as this has happened.

In actuality, this was supposed to be Roy’s disappearing act, but the only problem is, he forgot the keypad he needs to draw the funds from the joint account. Which means he needs to go back to Betty’s house… which is now totally empty. As it turns out, Betty’s been The Good Liar the whole time, conning Roy into a corner and for a very important reason.

After a flashback explaining Betty’s motives, Roy is ready to try and kill her in order to get his money back and live to con another day. The only problem is, Betty bests him, and leaves him to two of his previous victims, some businessmen that she discovered have a bit of an axe to grind with Mr. Courtnay, if that is his real name. And trust us, it isn’t.

We last see Roy left in the hospital, debilitated by a stroke, and cared for by his only friend in the world: Vincent. At least he has a wall that mimics the beach he always wanted to retire on, and he can pretend his water is champagne.

Roy’s Con In The Good Liar

The Roy and Vincent con artist is all about fleecing their victims in investment schemes that are supposed to have high yield payouts. When in truth, Roy and Vincent drain the account of said funds, and disappear into the night. We see them pull this sort of transaction off with some Russian and English businessmen throughout The Good Liar, while also watching Roy trying to avoid the repercussions throughout his other con as a serial online dater.

There's not much difference between the two, as Roy treats his ladies like he treats his business associates, with the same scam and physical threats, if necessary; as we saw with his treatment of Betty in the finale. He’s weaseled his way into the life of Betty, who presented herself as a recently widowed history teacher who was supposed to not only be seriously ill, but also quite wealthy. Like £2 million wealthy. But his ultimate con is, he’s not really Roy Courtnay.

What Is Roy Courtnay’s Real Identity?

Before you ask, no Roy Courtnay isn’t an alias for Albus Dumbledore. Originally Hans Taub, a German man who served as an English translator during and after World War II, “Roy” assumes his identity after his namesake dies during an attempt to apprehend a fleeing Nazi war criminal after the war. Wanting to leave post-war Germany, Roy used his new name to make a new life in England. One that would eventually see him become the criminal magnate we see throughout The Good Liar.

This is all outed by Betty’s grandson Steven (Russell Tovey), who is an expert at researching people’s backgrounds and other historical matters. But despite his revelations, Betty supposedly has no problem with this, and allows the con to go on. Only Steven’s not really Betty’s grandson. And surprise surprise, Betty’s not really Betty.

What Is Betty McLeish’s Real Identity?

Sorry, but before you ask, no, Betty McLeish isn’t secretly Mama Shaw from the Fast and Furious franchise. Betty’s real name is Lilli, and she is also a German who immigrated to England after the war. The daughter of a factory owner, we learn in the big flashback towards the end of The Good Liar that she and her family were disgraced by an unknown party. That person is none other than Hans Taub, who as a young man, was an English tutor to Lilli, and an object of her affection.

At least, that was until Hans struck out with Lilli’s older sister, whom he had a crush on. Which led the enraged young man to rape Lilli out of spite, and ultimately got him fired from his tutoring job. By time these events have transpired, the woman who would later rename herself Betty McLeish would have her family sold out to the Nazis, leading her to her plot the ultimate counter-con.

Betty’s Con In The Good Liar

The Good Liar reveals that after living through the hell of seeing her family die due to wartime, suicide, and execution, Lilli swears vengeance on Hans Taub for being responsible for her family’s downfall. “Betty” eventually tracks down her quarry, and sets the bait by fabricating a fake residence, a false grandson (who’s really dating her true grandson,) and even creates an online dating profile to trap this villainous party.

Letting “Roy” work his con artist magic on her, she has Stephen confirm that “Roy” is really Hans, while his partner/her real grandson Michael spies on her mark and gathers intel. Wise to the game, she uses Vincent’s objections with Roy’s con against him, to make sure everything goes as Roy had planned. In the end, Betty knows Roy will come back for the keypad she kept from him, and she’s generous enough to leave him £100,000 to live off of. But knowing he won’t go for that, she sacrifices him to his former “investors” who go to work on him.

Oh, what a tangled web The Good Liar weaves for its audience; and if you’re left with your head spinning just a little it, it’s understandable. But with the guide above, you have all the information you need to set the film’s plot straight. Though if you want to put it all together again, feel free to see The Good Liar again, as it’s in theaters this weekend.

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When the trailer for Tom Hooper’s Cats premiered over the summer, many were, let’s say, taken aback by the film’s CGI. The visuals transformed the star-studded cast into human-cat hybrids like something straight out of The Island of Doctor Moreau. The internet had a field day and plenty of jokes were made at the film’s expense. People shouldn’t be too eager to deal out scorn and ridicule though, because Sir Ian McKellen has taken up the cause of defending Cats' viral CGI. He said:

In his defense of Cats’ viral CGI, Ian McKellen, who plays Gus The Theatre Cat, primarily addressed a misconception surrounding both the film and the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical upon which it is based. As Ian McKellen said, the incredibly successful and long-running stage show Cats was not designed to trick audiences into thinking that the human actors were actually cats. In his mind the musical is about human characters discovering a cat-like nature within themselves.

By this reasoning, it doesn’t matter that the people don’t actually look like real cats. As Ian McKellen told ET, adapting the stage show for a feature film could have resulted in a different approach, one where the actors were turned into photo-realistic cats, similar to The Lion King. You could have even done a less realistic animated movie in the same vein, where the cats are more convincing as real cats.

But that approach wouldn’t be staying true to the source material because they aren’t supposed to be real cats, they’re people playing cats-- regardless of whether it’s on the stage or on the screen. So in Ian McKellen’s opinion, the CGI used in Cats is the only way that Cats could be done while staying true to what it is and what it’s supposed to be.

It’s a strong argument and while I’ve never seen it, I can’t imagine fans of the musical would take issue with the look of Tom Hooper’s film because it looks very much like what you would expect Andrew Lloyd Webber’s show to look like if translated into a feature film. The CGI human-cat hybrids are kind of the only way you could do Cats in a movie and have it still be Cats.

It wouldn’t really be Cats if it was a traditionally animated movie or if it took the approach that Jon Favreau’s Lion King did. First off it would look weird having photo-realistic cats dancing. Secondly, this story looks quite emotional and as The Lion King showed, photo-realistic animals can’t emote the way humans or traditionally animated characters can.

So it’s kind of like what did you expect a Cats movie to look like? It’s a great point from Ian McKellen that addresses why the cats look the way they do. However, that doesn’t change the fact that many will still find the CGI human-cat hybrids to be off-putting and weird and horrifying, regardless of the why. Maybe it’s one of those things though like Will Smith’s Genie and de-aging where you get used to it after a few minutes of watching.

Cats dances into theaters on December 20. Check out our guide to see what other big holiday movies are coming around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Didn't Ian McKellen turn down playing Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies after Richard Harris passed away? It might not be the most important piece of Harry Potter trivia, but I was living with that assumption -- and I thought it was understood from the Lord of the Rings star himself. Maybe not.

Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren are co-starring in the new movie The Good Liar and now I don't trust anything they say. As promotion for the November 15 movie, they played a game of Two Truths And A Lie, and the first round surprised me with a different version of the Dumbledore story.

Ian McKellen read off three statements about himself, with the understanding being that two would be true and Helen Mirren had to pick out the lie:

Helen Mirren laughed at the Kate Beckinsale one -- girl, I get it -- and quickly picked the Dumbledore one as the lie. Ian McKellen responded, "Well, that's correct! I say."

Watch their conversation:

Helen Mirren is a very good liar! But the Dumbledore lie confuses me, because I thought there was a whole thing about that. Harry Potter's original Dumbledore actor, Richard Harris, had made some comments about various actors, including Ian McKellen, saying McKellen was "technically brilliant but passionless." That was brought up in an interview with BBC's HARDtalk a few years back, and it was used as part of McKellen's explanation for turning down the role after Harris died. As McKellen said, at the time:

That's the story that has been out there, that Sir Ian McKellen turned down the role of Dumbledore because he didn't think Richard Harris would approve. So what was McKellen saying in his BuzzFeed game? Was he using the technicality that he wasn't officially offered that role, he "worked out" what role they meant?

Maybe he didn't even get the chance to turn it down? Here's something else he told Time Out last year:

Based on that slightly different story from Ian McKellen, I'm wondering if he never got to the point of turning down Dumbledore. Either way, the world got plenty of wizarding gold out of McKellen as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movies -- and if the Amazon series somehow brings Gandalf back, McKellen sound down to stay in the role.

Ian McKellen also showed his supernatural powers in the X-Men movies, which just wrapped up with Dark Phoenix. We'll probably have to wait for the MCU's Phase 5 to know how Kevin Feige plans to use the X-Men now that Fox is no longer in control.

No disrespect to Michael Gambon -- who is still ready to continue as Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts movies, if they call him -- but I do think Ian McKellen might've been a better fit as Dumbledore from the third Harry Potter movie onward. Gambon's Dumbledore was a little too rough-and-ready for me, and I think McKellen would've struck the right tone -- even if Harris wasn't a personal fan of his acting. To me, there's enough McKellen to go around for every major franchise.

What do you think of this Dumbledore development? While we're chatting, what did you make of that other Dumbledore development in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald? The Dumbledore family history will be further explored in Fantastic Beasts 3.

Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings franchise continues to stand out as a crowning achievement in cinema. The original trilogy (as well as The Hobbit trilogy) has become a cultural touchstone beloved by many fans, and the actors who played those iconic roles have become synonymous with the characters. In fact, it looks like at least some members of the Lord of the Rings cast have remained in touch, as Orlando Bloom and Sir Ian McKellen recently met up for a reunion along with Hobbit co-star Adam Brown. Check out the photo from the gathering, below!

Brings back all of those memories of watching The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time, doesn't it? We don't know what Orlando Bloom and Ian McKellen were totally up to during that reunion, but according to the caption of Bloom's post, it looks like they met up for drinks to catch up. And, of course, as they are not ones to discriminate against The Hobbit franchise, they let Adam Brown (who played the dwarf known as Ori) tag along for the ride.

As fans of the Lord of the Rings franchise already know, Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom have carved out astounding reputations for themselves in the realm of Middle Earth. McKellen became an instant icon for his role as Gandalf the Grey (and later Gandalf the White), while Bloom became equally famous for his turn as the eagle-eyed elf known as Legolas. Sure, McKellen may have also achieved nerd god status for his role as Magneto in the X-Men franchise, and Bloom did the same with his portrayal of Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but for a particular section of the fandom world, they will always be known as these two beloved Middle Earth dwellers.

Of course, seeing Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom together in a Lord of the Rings reunion also leaves us wondering about the future of J.R.R. Tolkien's work on the screen. Luckily, we won't have to wait too long to see more adventures in this world, as Amazon is currently in the process of developing a live-action Lord of the Rings series that's aiming for a 2021 release. Ian McKellen has already stated that he would consider returning to the role of Gandalf on the upcoming show, so we will have to wait and see if any other stars offer to come back and reunite with him!

CinemaBlend will bring you more information related to the work of Orlando Bloom and Ian McKellen, as well as the future of the Lord of the Rings franchise, as further details are made available to us. Until we learn more (or until they reunite for another heartwarming photo), make sure to head over to our 2018 movie premiere guide to read up on all of the films set to hit theaters this year!

Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash hit musical Cats is one of the most successful and well-known musicals ever, so it seemed inevitable that it would get the feature film treatment at some point. However, while such a film has been long discussed, development has been slow going. That has changed though, as the casting process has begun, with the film lining up several big names with the kind of serious singing chops you would want for such a famous musical. Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen and James Corden have all been cast in Cats.

Variety reports that Jennifer Hudson will play the major part of Grizabella, a former glamour cat that has fallen on hard times. Assuming it will be in the film (it will be), Jennifer Hudson's character should get the honor of singing "Memory," Grizabella's showstopper song that is considered to be the most famous and best song from the musical. The roles for Taylor Swift, Ian McKellen and James Corden have not yet been revealed.

Cats is set to begin shooting in Britain in November and it is already off to a marvelous start with this cast. In these four names, the film has lined up talented singers, actors and stage thespians with plenty of experience to their credit. Jennifer Hudson has already proven her singing and acting talents countless times before, winning an Oscar for her performance in the musical Dreamgirls. Taylor Swift is one of the most popular singers alive, with ten Grammy awards to her name, and she is also a documented cat enthusiast. James Corden is an increasing presence in films having been in the musical Into the Woods, and he is also the host of the inexplicably popular Carpool Karaoke segment on his Late Late Show. And of course, Ian McKellen's stage and screen credits are too many to name, and his addition to this film only elevates it.

Cats tells the story of a group of felines called the Jellicles who have to decide which among them will find redemption by ascending to the metaphorical "Heaviside layer." Lee Hall, the screenwriter behind War Horse and the upcoming Elton John biopic Rocketman, wrote the screenplay for Cats based on Andrew Lloyed Webber's musical, which itself was based on a book of children's poems by T.S. Eliot. The King's Speech and Les Misérables director Tom Hooper was brought on board to direct the film two years ago and is still set to direct, although not everyone is thrilled about that.

Those needing their singing and dancing fix now can check out Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, in theaters now. Check out all of the biggest movies hitting theaters this year in our release schedule. For all the latest in movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.