3 5
Age 96

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON

Age 87

Not Ranked

Current Rank

#41

#4

Peak Rank

#3

35

Years Ranked

43

7

Years in Top 10

6

23.9

Average Rank

28.2

68

Theatrical Releases

42

The Firm $158.3 Million

Biggest Hit

Beauty and the Beast $504.0 Million

$2.2 Billion

Career Domestic
Box Office

$3.9 Billion

COMMUNITY VOTE

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Career Comparison Summary AI-generated historical comparison. Click to expand.

Note: Films released during the selected year influence the following year's rankings.

By the 2026 season, the comparison is less about a single breakout moment and more about the shape of each actor's accumulated Hollywood results. The biggest-hit category sharpens the box office contrast, especially because Ian McKellen's leading film creates the stronger single-release benchmark.

The category score gives Ian McKellen the broader edge, though the result remains a comparison of career outcomes rather than personal popularity. Based on the available ranking data, the balance leans toward Ian McKellen without turning the result into a subjective judgment of acting quality.

CAREER RANKING HISTORY

Gene Hackman Ian McKellen

FILMOGRAPHY COMPARISON

Gene Hackman

68 theatrical releases • $2.2 Billion Domestic

Year Movie Domestic Box Office Domestic BO
2004 Welcome to Mooseport $14.5 Million
2003 Runaway Jury $49.4 Million
2001 Behind Enemy Lines $58.9 Million
2001 The Royal Tenenbaums $52.4 Million
2001 Heist $23.5 Million

Ian McKellen

42 theatrical releases • $3.9 Billion Domestic

Year Movie Domestic Box Office Domestic BO
2026 The Christophers $1.8 Million
2024 The Critic $449,020
2019 Cats $27.2 Million
2019 The Good Liar $17.2 Million
2019 All Is True $1.2 Million