8 Greatest Ian McKellen Movies Outside The Lord of the Rings Series

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - There is no denying that Sir Ian McKellen is one of the greatest actors of his generation. Born on May 25, 1939, in Burnley, England, the British actor has spent more than six decades on stage and screen. While most people know him as the wise wizard Gandalf in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series, McKellen's career goes far beyond Middle-earth. There are many other Ian McKellen movies that show his versatility as an actor that goes beyond the iconic role.

If you want to explore more of his work, here are eight great Ian McKellen films outside his famous roles in the Lord of the Rings series and each one is well worth your time.

Where to Watch: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

Based on Christopher Bram's 1995 novel Father of Frankenstein, this film tells the story of James Whale, a famous Hollywood director in his final days. Directed by Bill Condon, Ian McKellen plays Whale, who made the classic horror films Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. The story follows Whale as he forms an unlikely friendship with his young gardener, played by Brendan Fraser. McKellen earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for this role.

Where to Watch: Disney+, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

In this action-packed sequel directed by Bryan Singer, McKellen returns as Magneto, the powerful mutant villain who can control metal. When a dangerous military leader named William Stryker launches an attack on all mutants, Magneto is forced to work alongside his old friend Professor X, played by Patrick Stewart. Together, the X-Men and their enemies must fight a common threat, making for one of the best superhero films of the early 2000s.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video (Rent/Buy), Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

Based on William Shakespeare's famous play of the same name, this film was co-written by McKellen himself, who also stars as the scheming King Richard III. Director Richard Loncraine set the story in a dark, 1930s fascist version of England, giving the classic Shakespeare tale a bold new look. McKellen plays a corrupt and dangerous man who murders his way to the throne. Annette Bening and Robert Downey Jr. also appear in the film.

Where to Watch: Disney+, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

Directed by Bryan Singer, this is the film that started the massive X-Men franchise. McKellen plays Magneto, a mutant who survived the Holocaust as a child and now believes that humans and mutants cannot live together in peace. He plans a dangerous attack on world leaders at the United Nations. Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, and Patrick Stewart also star in this superhero movie. The film was a major hit and helped bring superhero movies to a new era of popularity.

Where to Watch: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, Kanopy, Hoopla

Based on Mitch Cullin's 2005 novel A Slight Trick of the Mind, this film imagines a very different version of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. Directed by Bill Condon, McKellen plays an aged Holmes who is now 93 years old, retired, and struggling with memory loss. Living quietly in the countryside, he tries to remember the details of his very last case. The film is a quiet, moving story about memory, regret, and aging, and McKellen gives a deeply human performance.

Where to Watch: The Roku Channel, YouTube Free, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

Based on John Guare's acclaimed 1990 Broadway play, this film tells the story of a young con man, played by Will Smith, who tricks a wealthy New York couple into believing he is the son of actor Sidney Poitier. McKellen plays Geoffrey Miller, a friend of the couple caught up in the strange events. Directed by Fred Schepisi, the film is a sharp, witty look at class, identity, and how easily people can be deceived.

Where to Watch: TNT, TBS, tru TV, Paramount Plus, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand

Based on Dan Brown's best-selling 2003 novel of the same name, this mystery thriller was directed by Ron Howard. Tom Hanks stars as Robert Langdon, a professor who is pulled into a deadly conspiracy after a murder at the Louvre museum in Paris. McKellen plays Sir Leigh Teabing, a historian and expert on the Holy Grail who helps Langdon and cryptographer Sophie Neveu, played by Audrey Tautou, try to uncover a secret that powerful people want to keep hidden forever.

Where to Watch: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

Directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh as William Shakespeare, this historical drama is set after the Globe Theatre burns to the ground in 1613. Shakespeare returns home to Stratford-upon-Avon to face his long-neglected family, including his wife Anne Hathaway, played by Judi Dench. McKellen appears as Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, believed by many to be the inspiration for Shakespeare's famous love sonnets. The film is a quiet and moving story about loss, family, and legacy.