How come Ian McKellen didn't play Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies?

[Lucian]

I think that part would've been perfect for him.

Or was it because he didn't want to be typecast as another powerful wizard? That would make sense.

:shrug:

Sorry. Just watching the movies on ABC Family until The Walking Dead comes on.

[MrScorpio]

1. That typecasting thing is a sumbitch to deal with

However, I will say that Michael Gambon does bring a certain air of open armed grandfatherliness to the role.

[Ilsa]

2. M. Gannon has been great as Dumbledore.

Ian McK would have been good, but I can't imagine him in the role since MG made it his.

[tigereye]

10. Gambon, I think

I still thought Richard Harris was better, but Gambon is an excellent actor.

[Ilsa]

12. I misspelled it -- probably the auto-correcting software on my iPhone. nt

[Rhythm]

4. Sir Richard Harris (in the first two films) was good, but...

the sinister undertones revealed in Dumbledore in the later books would have been unbelievable coming from someone who presented himself as so benevolent and grandfatherly.

[Rhythm]

3. Because he was working on the X-Men AND LotR series?

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" was released in 2001, obviously the first of many films in a series.

Meanwhile, Sir Ian was working on two separate film series: "X-Men" released in 2000 -- a planned trilogy.
~and~
"Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" released in 2001 -- a planned trilogy.

[Lucian]

5. If you were to do your homework...

the LotR series was filmed between 11 October 1999 and 22 December 2000. He could've played Dumbledore after that.

[Rhythm]

8. He could have done a lot of things after that, i'm sure... but

Once again, he was already involved in two film series. This probably had more to do with it than anything.

The patronizing "do your homework" quip was really unnecessary, btw. :eyes:
I was simply pointing out his other ongoing projects.

[Ilsa]

13. Good point. And the travel would have been difficult. LOTR was

filmed mostly (or entirely?) in New Zealand, whereas HP is mostly filmed in Scotland and London. I don't know where X-Men was filmed.

[fishwax]

6. b/c Richard Harris insulted his acting

There were rumors that Ian McKellen was offered the role to replace Richard Harris while Harris was dying, but he turned it down because Harris (who had wanted the role of Gandalf) had attacked McKellen's abilities as an actor, so he didn't think it would be appropriate.

On edit -- here's an interview where McKellen discusses it: http://www.totalfilm.com/features/ian-mckellen-interview

[hyphenate]

7. I think perhaps

(though I'm not sure) that McKellen didn't want to do it, but also there were conflicts in schedules.

Michael Gambon was "understudy" to Richard Harris, and since he was already involved, he got the job.

Strangely enough, my hope was that Michael Caine get the job. I think he would have been outstanding. Gambon has never thrilled me. Richard Harris, OTOH, was quite perfect.

[tigereye]

9. that's a good question

[CBGLuthier]

11. Maybe because two silly fantasy roles is enough for a decade?