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With a career spanning over six decades, Ian McKellen has entertained audiences across generations. The Hollywood star isn’t typecast, as he can convincingly portray heroes, villains, Shakespearean characters, comedic roles, and more.
His portrayal of Gandalf inThe Lord of the Ringsis widely considered one of the greatest casting decisions in cinematic history. However, fans may be surprised to learn that Tom Cruise’s franchise nearly stole McKellen away from Middle-earth altogether.
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McKellen revealed that he was initially hesitant to commit toThe Lord of the Ringsdue to a number of factors. Surprisingly, he was also thinking about a part inMission: Impossible 2, which could have clashed with his role in the J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic film series.
Why Ian McKellen Almost Passed onThe Lord of the Rings?
Ian McKelleninitially had doubts about joiningThe Lord of the Rings, and interestingly,Tom Cruisenearly took him away from the project.
At aBAFTAevent in 2015, the 84-year-old actor mentioned his concerns about joiningLOTRdue to the year-long commitment in New Zealand, an unfinished script, and being unfamiliar with the source material.
“I wasn’t mad keen, it was a year living in New Zealand… a year away from home, with a script that wasn’t quite complete, based on books that I didn’t know about. [I didn’t think it was the] huge, big chance of a lifetime that it turned out to be. I very nearly couldn’t do it because initially I was asked by Tom Cruise to be in Mission: Impossible 2.”
McKellen was offered a part inMission: Impossible 2, but the producers kept the script under wraps to prevent leaks. This approach backfired, as the star declined the role without a clear understanding of the project.
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He recounted saying,“I’m sorry I can’t be in your film because I don’t know what it is,”which surprised his agent, who exclaimed,“You’re turning down the chance to work with Tom Cruise?!”
Ian McKellen ChoseThe Lord of the RingsOver Tom Cruise’sMission: Impossible
Little did anyone know,Anthony Hopkins, who was also considered for Gandalf, ended up taking theMission: Impossible 2role — a small, forgettable part.
This twist shows how casting choices can change everything. Had the Great Britain native signed on for the action flick, he would have missed out on not only Gandalf but alsoMagneto in theX-Menfranchise (another iconic character that defined his career).
Also, without McKellen, another actor might’ve played Gandalf, which could have changed the character’s portrayal or even the entireLord of the Ringstrilogy. Actors likeSean Conneryor Hopkins were also considered, and their versions of Gandalf would’ve surely been different. Luckily, he picked Middle-earth and shaped the movie history.
But not only inLord of Rings,McKellen was also approached to play DumbledoreafterRichard Harrispassed away. However, due to a past comment by Harris criticizing McKellen’s work, he declined. The role eventually went toMichael Gambon.
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AllThe Lord of the Ringsare available to stream on HBO Max.
Shreya Jha
Articles Published :1042
Meet Shreya, FandomWire’s go-to Pop-Culture Writer. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism and a pop culture obsession that rivals even the most die-hard ‘Star Wars’ and Marvel fans.Her articles have been published in Animated Times, Creator Mail, and The Luxxe Mag. When Shreya’s not busy dishing out hot takes, she is lost in the world of rom-coms.
