Key Highlights
- Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen were considered for the same role in Mission Impossible 2.
- Mckellen turned down the part due to limited scenes and involvement with X-Men and The Lord of the Rings.
- The decision proved beneficial as McKellen later starred in major franchises like X-Men and Lord of the Rings.
- Both actors expressed their thoughts on the role conflict, with Hopkins admitting he had no idea what it was about.
Anthony vs. Ian: The Role Clash That Never Was
Back in 1999, Hollywood was a different place. Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen, two titans of the craft, found themselves at odds over a role in one of the most unlikely film franchises. Imagine this for a second: Hannibal Lecter, the maniacal psychiatrist from Silence of the Lambs, squaring off against Gandalf the White, the enigmatic wizard from The Lord of the Rings.
Sounds like something out of a fevered dream, right?
But here’s where it gets interesting. In the late 1990s, both actors were at the peak of their careers. Hopkins was already a household name thanks to his Oscar-winning performance as Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, while McKellen was on the cusp of international stardom with his portrayal of Magneto in X-Men.
The Role That Wasn’t
They were both in consideration for a role in Mission Impossible 2. Specifically, they were vying for the part of Swanbeck, Tom Cruise’s boss. But McKellen had other plans.
He turned down the part because he felt that his involvement would be minimal and wouldn’t allow him to take on major projects like X-Men or The Lord of the Rings.
And you know what? He was right. It turned out to be a smart move.
Had McKellen taken on Swanbeck, it’s doubtful he would have gone on to star in such monumental franchises as X-Men and Lord of the Rings. Both roles significantly boosted his career and earned him billions in box office receipts.
What They Said
Mckellen’s decision was a no-brainer, but Hopkins still wasn’t sure what he was missing. “I didn’t know that!” he said with a mix of surprise and amusement. McKellen added, “I was offered it. But they’d only show me the scenes I was in.
On those grounds alone, I turned it down.”
Hopkins’ response? “That was a good move on Ian’s part. I was only on Mission: Impossible for a few days. I remember we had to do a lot of retakes because things were out of focus.
So I stayed in Australia for five more days and got a bit more cash.”
Tom Cruise, the star of Mission Impossible 2, was nice to work with, but Hopkins still couldn’t fathom what he would have been doing if he had taken on the role. “I had no idea what it was about. Still don’t,” he admitted candidly.
A Masterstroke
Years later, both actors reflected on their choices. McKellen’s decision to skip Mission Impossible 2 proved to be a masterstroke. It allowed him to focus on X-Men and Lord of the Rings, which brought in billions at the box office.
He would go on to reprise his role as Gandalf in The Hobbit trilogy and later return as Magneto alongside James McAvoy’s Professor X in Avengers: Doomsday.
Anthony Hopkins might have been a bit envious about the roles that got away, but he was also grateful for the ones he had. “Tom was nice to work with, but I had no idea what it was about. Still don’t,” he concluded with a wry smile.
Mission Impossible 2 may not be remembered as one of the franchise’s strongest entries, but its legacy lives on through the careers of these two legendary actors and their subsequent roles in Hollywood’s most enduring franchises.
