Actor box office profile
Ian McKellen
172 acting credits tracked, with 31 films carrying usable worldwide financial data.
#29Worldwide rank
Credited worldwide
$9.37B31 matched films
Average gross
$302.3Mreported films
Median gross
$33.9Mreported films
Top movie
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King$1.12B
Career history
Box office filmography
Eligible acting credits with reported worldwide theatrical gross.| Year | Film / character | Worldwide | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |  CatsGus, the Theatre Cat |
$77.3M | Actor |
| 2019 |  The Good LiarRoy Courtnay |
$33.9M | Actor |
| 2018 |  Animal CrackersHoratio P. Huntington (voice) |
$13.3M | Voice role |
| 2015 |  Mr. HolmesSherlock Holmes |
$29.4M | Actor |
| 2014 |  The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five ArmiesGandalf the Grey |
$956.0M | Actor |
| 2014 |  X-Men: Days of Future PastMagneto |
$748.0M | Actor |
| 2013 |  The Hobbit: The Desolation of SmaugGandalf the Grey |
$958.4M | Actor |
| 2012 |  The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyGandalf the Grey |
$1.02B | Actor |
| 2007 |  The Golden CompassIorek Byrnison (voice) |
$372.2M | Voice role |
| 2006 |  DoogalZebedee (voice) |
$27.5M | Voice role |
| 2006 |  Flushed AwayThe Toad (voice) |
$178.1M | Voice role |
| 2006 |  The Da Vinci CodeSir Leigh Teabing |
$760.0M | Actor |
| 2006 |  X-Men: The Last StandErik Lehnsherr / Magneto |
$459.4M | Actor |
| 2005 |  The Magic RoundaboutZebedee (voice) |
$19.3M | Voice role |
| 2003 | $1.12B | Actor | |
| 2003 |  X2Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto |
$407.7M | Actor |
| 2002 | $926.3M | Actor | |
| 2001 | $871.4M | Actor | |
| 2000 |  X-MenMagneto |
$296.3M | Actor |
| 1998 |  Apt PupilKurt Dussander |
$8.9M | Actor |
| 1998 |  Gods and MonstersJames Whale |
$6.5M | Actor |
| 1997 |  BentUncle Freddie |
$496,059 | Actor |
| 1995 |  Jack & SarahWilliam |
$218,626 | Actor |
| 1995 |  RestorationWill Gates |
$4.0M | Actor |
| 1995 |  Richard IIIRichard III |
$2.7M | Actor |
| 1994 |  The ShadowDr. Reinhardt Lane |
$48.1M | Actor |
| 1993 |  Six Degrees of SeparationGeoffrey |
$6.3M | Actor |
| 1993 |  The Ballad of Little JoPercy Corcoran |
$543,091 | Actor |
| 1989 |  ScandalJohn Profumo |
$8.8M | Actor |
| 1985 |  PlentySir Andrew Charleson |
$6.1M | Actor |
| 1983 |  The KeepDr. Theodore Cuza |
$3.7M | Actor |
Additional acting creditsCredits without usable worldwide box office data141
| Year | Film / character | Status | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for GollumGandalf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2026 | Avengers: DoomsdayMagneto |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2026 | Ebenezer: A Christmas CarolJacob Marley |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2026 | LS Lowry: The Unheard TapesL S Lowry |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2025 | A World War II Fairy Tale: The Making of Michael Mann's 'The Keep'Self (archive footage) |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2025 | Dragged Through TimeActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2025 | Ken Dodd: A Legacy of HappinessActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2025 | SchadenfreudeContinuity Announcer |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2025 | The ChristophersJulian Sklar |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2024 | DragfoxGinger Snap the Fox (Speaking) (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2024 | HamletHamlet |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2024 |  The CriticJimmy Erskine |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2024 | The Life and Death of Lily SavageSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2024 | The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I LovedActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2023 | The One Note ManNarrator (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2022 | Freedom: 50 Years of PrideSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2022 | Hamlet WithinActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2022 | Quintessentially BritishSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2021 | Hating Peter TatchellSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2021 | Infinitum: Subject UnknownDr. Charles Marland-White |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2020 | Du Fu: China's Greatest PoetActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2020 | Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOUActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2019 | On BroadwaySelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2018 |  All Is TrueEarl of Southampton |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2018 | McKellen: Playing the PartSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2018 | National Theatre Live: King LearKing Lear |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2017 |  Beauty and the BeastCogsworth |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2017 | Edmund the MagnificentSelf - Narrator (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2017 | How a Kite FliesMr. Kite (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2017 | The Paul O'Grady StorySelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2017 | The Untold Tales of Armistead MaupinSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2016 | All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on FilmProspero's Speech Reader (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2016 | Judi Dench: All the World's Her StageSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2016 | National Theatre Live: No Man's LandSpooner |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2016 | Play the Devil: Making Richard IIIActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2016 | Shakespeare Live! From the RSCSelf - Performer |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2016 | Shakespeare on FilmActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2016 | Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellenActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2016 | The RoofAnd Even Yet Another Fan |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2015 | Knights of Classic Drama at the BBCSelf (archive footage) |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2015 | Mutant vs. Machine - The Making of 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'Self |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2015 | The DresserNorman |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2015 | X-Men: UnguardedSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2014 | Double Take: Xavier & MagnetoSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2014 | Miss in Her TeensThe Prologue |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2014 | Nelson Mandela RedrawnSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2014 | X-Men: ReunitedSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2013 | Muse of FireSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2013 | The Egg TrickMagician |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2013 | The Five(ish) Doctors RebootSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2013 |  The WolverineErik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited) |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2013 | The Wolverine: Path of a RoninSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2012 | Doctor Who: The SnowmenThe Great Intelligence (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2012 | London 2012: Paralympics Opening CeremonySelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2011 | Looking for LowrySelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2011 | The Betty Driver StorySelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2010 | A Lost and Found Box of Human SensationNarrator (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2010 | Small-Time RevolutionaryHamish Miller (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2009 | TheatrelandSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2008 | King LearKing Lear |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2007 | For the Love of GodThe Jackdaw |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2007 | Guerrilla DistributionSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2007 |  StardustNarrator (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2007 | The Art of Breaking CharacterSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2006 | Saint of 9/11Narrator |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2005 | AsylumDr. Peter Cleave |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2005 | EighteenJason Anders (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2005 |  NeverwasGabriel Finch |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2005 | Ringers: Lord of the FansSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2005 | The Hobart ShakespeareansSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2004 | A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'Self |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2004 | Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!Self |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2004 | My First TimeNarrator |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2004 | Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?Acting credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2004 | The Making of 'The Return of the King'Self |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2003 | Beyond the Movie: The Return of the KingSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2003 | EmileEmile |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2003 | Evolution X - The Making of X-MenActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2003 | The Making of 'The Two Towers'Acting credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2003 | The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's VisionSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2003 | The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2Self |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2003 | X-Men: Premieres Around the WorldSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2002 | The Fellowship of the Ring: Cameras in Middle-earthSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2002 | The Fellowship of the Ring: Designing and Building Middle-earth + Weta Workshop + Costume DesignSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2002 | The Fellowship of the Ring: From Book to ScriptSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2002 | The Fellowship of the Ring: ScaleSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2002 | The Fellowship of the Ring: The Fellowship of the CastSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2002 | The Fellowship of the Ring: The Road Goes Ever On..Self |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2001 | Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the RingSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2001 | Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in LoveNarrator (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2001 | Passage to Middle-Earth: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings'Self |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2001 | Quest for the RingSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2000 | Cirque du Soleil: Journey of ManNarrator (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 2000 | Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!Self |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 2000 | X-Men: The Mutant WatchSelf - 'Magneto' |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1999 | After StonewallSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1999 | The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James WhaleSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1998 | Swept from the SeaDr. James Kennedy |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1997 | A Bit Of ScarletNarrator |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1997 | Surviving Friendly FireActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1996 | An Evening with Lily SavageSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1996 | RasputinTsar Nicholas II |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1995 | Cold Comfort FarmAmos Starkadder |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1994 | Age of DissentSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1994 | David Macaulay: Roman CityAugustus Caesar (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 1994 | I'll Do AnythingJohn Earl McAlpine |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1994 | Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and ProtestSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1994 | To Die ForQuilt Documentary Narrator (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 1993 | A Simple Matter of JusticeSelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1993 | And the Band Played OnBill Kraus |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1993 | Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt UpNarration (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 1993 | Camp ChristmasActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1993 |  Last Action HeroDeath |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1992 | GladioAldo Moro (voice) |
Financial data pending | Voice role |
| 1990 | OthelloIago |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1989 | Countdown to WarAdolf Hitler |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1988 | Scarfe's FolliesActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1987 | Süleyman the MagnificentNarrator |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1985 | ZinaKronfeld |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1983 | Walter and JuneWalter |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1982 | Ian McKellen: Acting ShakespeareActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1982 | The Scarlet PimpernelChauvelin |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1982 | WalterWalter |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1981 | Priest of LoveD.H. Lawrence |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1980 | Dying DayAntony Skipling |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1979 | Every Good Boy Deserves FavourAlexander Ivanov |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1979 | MacbethMacbeth |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1974 | Graceless Go ITony |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1972 | Craven ArmsDavid Masterman |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1972 | Hedda GablerGeorge Tesman |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1970 | Edward IIKing Edward |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1970 | HamletHamlet |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1970 | The Tragedy of King Richard IIKing Richard II |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1969 | A Touch of LoveGeorge |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1969 | Alfred the GreatRoger |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1969 | The PromiseActing credit |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| 1965 | The Trial and Torture of Sir John RampayneWolf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| — | Frank and PercyPercy |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| — | No Man's LandSpooner |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| — | Richard IIRichard II |
Financial data pending | Actor |
| — | Untitled Anthony Hopkins DocumentarySelf |
Financial data pending | Actor |
Chronology
Cumulative credited worldwide gross
1983The Keep$3.7M
1985Plenty$9.8M
1989Scandal$18.6M
1993The Ballad of Little Jo$19.2M
1993Six Degrees of Separation$25.4M
1994The Shadow$73.5M
1995Jack & Sarah$73.7M
1995Restoration$77.7M
1995Richard III$80.5M
1997Bent$81.0M
1998Gods and Monsters$87.4M
1998Apt Pupil$96.3M
2000X-Men$392.6M
2001The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring$1.26B
2002The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers$2.19B
2003X2$2.60B
2003The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King$3.72B
2005The Magic Roundabout$3.74B
2006Doogal$3.76B
2006The Da Vinci Code$4.52B
2006X-Men: The Last Stand$4.98B
2006Flushed Away$5.16B
2007The Golden Compass$5.53B
2012The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey$6.55B
2013The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug$7.51B
2014X-Men: Days of Future Past$8.26B
2014The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies$9.22B
2015Mr. Holmes$9.25B
2018Animal Crackers$9.26B
2019The Good Liar$9.29B
2019Cats$9.37B
Milestones
Career thresholds
13$100M+ films
8$500M+ films
2$1B+ films