Ian McKellen – 10 Best Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 2, 2026

Ian McKellen spent decades as one of Britain’s most respected stage actors before Gandalf and Magneto introduced him to a generation who had never seen him do Shakespeare. Richard III reimagines the scheming king in a fascist 1930s Britain, Apt Pupil lets a teenager blackmail his neighbour, a fugitive Nazi, Mr. Holmes recalls an ageing detective’s last case, and The Da Vinci Code races to unravel a religious conspiracy. Gods and Monsters, X-Men, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Hobbit round out the list.

Apt Pupil (1998)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A teenager discovers his elderly neighbour is a fugitive Nazi war criminal and blackmails him for stories.

Directed by Bryan Singer · 1h 47m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mr. Holmes (2015)

TMDB ★ 6.8

Ian McKellen plays a retired, ageing Sherlock Holmes trying to recall the details of his final unsolved case.

Directed by Bill Condon · 1h 44m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

IMDb ★ 6.7 RT 25% Metacritic 46

A symbologist and a cryptologist race to unravel a conspiracy hidden inside religious history.

Directed by Ron Howard · 2h 29m · Rated PG-13

8 wins & 21 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, fuboTV, Philo, Netflix Standard with Ads, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Richard III (1995)

TMDB ★ 7.2

Ian McKellen stars as Shakespeare's scheming king, reimagined in a fascist, alternate-history 1930s Britain.

Directed by Richard Loncraine · 1h 44m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent or buy: Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

X-Men (2000)

TMDB ★ 7.4

The original team assembles as Magneto plots to force mutant acceptance by any means necessary.

Directed by Bryan Singer · 1h 44m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

TMDB ★ 7.8

Ian McKellen appears as a reluctant hobbit joins thirteen dwarves on a quest to reclaim their homeland.

Directed by Peter Jackson · 2h 49m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Gods and Monsters (1998)

TMDB ★ 7.4

The ageing director of Frankenstein reflects on his life through a friendship with his gardener.

Directed by Bill Condon · 1h 45m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Here TV, Here TV Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

X2: X-Men United (2003)

IMDb ★ 7.4 RT 85% Metacritic 68

A military strike on Xavier's school forces mutants and humans into an uneasy alliance.

Directed by Bryan Singer · 2h 13m · Rated PG-13

6 wins & 41 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

IMDb ★ 8.8 RT 95% Metacritic 87

The fellowship splits apart as war breaks out across Middle-earth and the ring creeps closer to Mordor.

Directed by Peter Jackson · 2h 59m · Rated PG-13

Won 2 Oscars132 wins & 139 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

IMDb ★ 8.9 RT 91% Metacritic 92

A hobbit inherits a ring that could either save or destroy Middle-earth.

Directed by Peter Jackson · 2h 59m · Rated PG-13

Won 4 Oscars126 wins & 127 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

Ian McKellen – 10 Best Movies

Apt Pupil (1998)

Mr. Holmes (2015)

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Richard III (1995)

X-Men (2000)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Gods and Monsters (1998)

X2: X-Men United (2003)

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

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