:(

[bunnylove]

McKellen Heads to Hogwarts


British acting knight Sir Ian McKellen will replace the late Richard Harris as Professor Albus Dumbledore in the third Harry Potter movie. The 63-year-old star, who also plays wizard Gandalf in the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, is set to appear in the third installments of both rival films - after signing to take on the role of the Hogwarts headmaster in Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. McKellen takes over the role from Harris - who died of cancer in October. Movie bosses had hoped to cast Harris in the new film - which is due to begin filming in February - by using computer animation and film footage. But they found they did not have the required film available. Fellow Brit Christopher Lee - another Lord Of The Rings star - was among those tipped to replace Harris. A source on the Warner Bros movie set says, "Everyone has been sworn to secrecy about Ian McKellen getting the role of Dumbledore. One of the production staff let it slip and now it is spreading like wild fire. He got the part just before Christmas but Warner's won't announce it until the New Year. Bosses thought he was the perfect replacement for Harris and, as we all know, he is capable of playing the part of a wizard. They are not worried about people getting The Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter confused. They are two very different films."

Now when I saw Ian preform last November, someone did ask if he was going to play Dumbledore, and he said no. So all this might not be true. BUT IMDB is usually accurate when it comes to their news. So I dunno. I personally hope it isn't true. Even though it is 2 different movies, I can only see him as Gandalf. Not Dumbledore.

Comments

ick..

[missrogue.livejournal.com]

I knew this was going to happen, I thought they wouldn't ask him because the whole wizzard Gandalf thing..

[ex-thewayout304.livejournal.com]

if Sir Ian is as good of an actor as I give him credit for, he'll be able to play the two parts so differently that you wont even think of Gandalf. because, if you think about it, Gandalf's demeanor is quite different from Ian's own, as is Dumbledore's much different than both. if that makes sense at all...

To add to your point...

[emilyx.livejournal.com]

Peter Jackson said himself that Ian McKellen's performance was based on how Ian percieved JRR Tolkien and JRR Tolkien's idea of the character. Dumbledore will be different because of the different aesthetics, the way the character is written and the fact that by the time the next Harry Potter movie is out, Lord of the Rings will be OVER.

nooo

[shinyeleni.livejournal.com]

*sob*
no, he shouldn't do it. I hope it's not true. :(

[bonsaye.livejournal.com]

Awwww. Too bad. I mean, yeah, like you said, Sir Ian has the talent to play the two wizards differently. And it's his career to do what he wants with. But it's just sort of wierd.

I've wondered if LOTR would actually be bad for career-minded actors, like Star Wars was for its actors. If you think about it, even though the Star Wars trilogy is one of the best ever, Harrison Ford is the *only* one whose career kept going. Everyone else just crumpled. If they tried to play another character, it didn't work, because the world forever saw Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker. Eventually, Mark Hamill started voicing cartoons (he voiced the Joker on Batman and Robin a while back) because no one wanted to see his face.

Who of us hasn't watched FOTR and shouted "Agent Smith!!" or watched the Matrix and shouted "Lord Elrond!!" Who hasn't watched G.I. Jane and thought wondered how "Aragorn" could be so cruel? You know? I'm even a little worried for Orli in his upcoming movies.

So, I guess we'll just see how it goes for our men....

[ex-thewayout304.livejournal.com]

hmm... how can I put this... first of all, let me say that i'm a rabid sw fan *points to icon*

the original trilogy isn't known for it's impeccable acting. harrison ford broke through the star wars curse because he's a genuinely good actor.

in my opinion, the quality of the actors in the new movies is much better, which may come from the fact that, for the most part, they're using more well-established actors (christopher lee, ewan mcgregor, sam jackson) than virtual nobodies (hayden christensen).

i'm much more worried about daniel, emma, and rupert's future careers than i am about such a wonderfully established actor as sir ian.

(and this post strayed violently off-topic, methinks... *hides*)

[bonsaye.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Point.

Re:

[leggyslove.livejournal.com]

Eh, who cares? LOL You all make great points.:)

[karabou.livejournal.com]

What the... certainly there must be another older man out there who doesn't already play a wizard in a movie. I mean, I trust Ian's acting skills that he can pull both off and be distiguishable in each role.. but, come on. I still have a forboding feeling that as soon as I see PoA I'm going to be mumbling Dumbledore's lines as "Frodo.. where are you?"

[peitso.livejournal.com]

actually, when i'd heard that harris had died, the first person that came into my head as a replacement was mckellan...
i don't see it as that much of a problem, seeing as how they're two completely different wizards...they're not even going to have the same noses...and the glasses... the characters are meant for different audiences. now i'm completely distraught in my explanation, hahahaah. but i'd heard that someone else had been found to replace harris (she actually said the guy's name, but i don't remember it)...but this was just what i heard from a friend, and i dunno where she heard it.
but i dunno. mckellan fits in my mind. and until i've finished the 3rd hp book (probably tomorrow at the soonest), i don't think dumbledore even has much dialouge... *shrug*
as i was saying, i'm perfectly confident in mckellan performing dumbledore as from a book aimed at children convincingly enough for enough people to not mistake him for gandalf...

did anyone see mckellan on SNL? dammit! i missed that episode!

ok. fini.

Re:

[leggyslove.livejournal.com]

Oh I have no doubt McKellen can take on the role... it's just I wanna see someone else. LOL :P

Re:

[peitso.livejournal.com]

haaaahahahahahah. riiiiight.

but i'd also like to point out the striking resemblence between viggo's character in a perfect murder and aragorn...
long, greasy hair, 5 o'clock shadow... both look so alike...yet the difference can be felt.

but i think that viggo has the ability to appear as that dark thing that you fear in the back of your head when he's playing an atagonist (maybe not so much the actual antagonist in a perfect murder). hehehheheheheh.

go viggo.

[anowyn.livejournal.com]

One word: NO!!!!!!!!

[http://users.livejournal.com/hugsnkisses_/]

You're funny when you're brief ^_~

Re:

[anowyn.livejournal.com]

XD
I try not to be brief very often, cuz it'll sound like I'm all "I don't care and I'm aloof" but... sometimes being brief is the best way to get my point across. :3

Re:

[leggyslove.livejournal.com]

my thoughts exactly.

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

Truth be told, I'm really dissapointed. I should be happy, cause I'm sure Ian could be a good Dumbledore, but I really did hope that he wasn't going to get the part. I don't think it suits him at all. Hopefully it's not true. I really can't picture Ian as Dumbledore.
Though, I don't think Christopher Lee would do much better...

Re:

[leggyslove.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. I don't doubt Sir Ian could do the role, but I dunno. It just doesn't feel right to me.

Re:

[limmenel.livejournal.com]

Nope. Definitely doesn't feel right. Ian just isn't Dumbledore. It doesn't word.

[secretbutterfly.livejournal.com]

I can't picture him as Dumbledore either...I'd have thought Christopher Lee rather than Ian. But if he is, I know he'll do a good job regardless.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_fleur/]

should have seen this coming....


*wanders off*

[vesseanlegolas.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's funny - I've been hoping for WEEKS that Sir Ian would be chosen to replace Harris! I thought he'd make the PERFECT Dumbledore! (Of course, he's always going to be Gandalf in my mind... but as I have seen him in other movies it'd only be like watching one of them. He's still Gandalf, just Gandalf playing someone else. If that makes any sense at all. lol)

Truthfully?

[briebribeez.livejournal.com]

I'd much rather him play Dumbledore than anyone else. I think he could perfectly play it, and I adore both Ian and Dumbledore, and I don't think they could find a better actor to replace Harris. *shrugs*Just my opinion.
LA, Bri