3 3
Age 68

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON

Age 38

#6

Rank

#1

#3

Peak Rank

#1

24

Years Ranked

10

4

Years in Top 10

4

34.3

Average Rank

21.7

29

Theatrical Releases

27

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King $377.0 Million

Biggest Hit

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King $377.0 Million

$2.2 Billion

Career Domestic
Box Office

$1.5 Billion

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CAREER RANKING HISTORY

Ian McKellen Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett

27 theatrical releases • $1.5 Billion Domestic

Year Movie Domestic Box Office Domestic BO
2007 I'm Not There $4.0 Million
2007 Hot Fuzz $23.6 Million
2007 Elizabeth: The Golden Age $16.4 Million
2006 The Good German $1.3 Million
2006 Notes on a Scandal $17.5 Million
Career Comparison Summary AI-generated historical comparison. Click to expand.

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

The 2007 comparison presents Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett through the ranking data available at that point in time. Commercial scale is another meaningful divider, with the career domestic box office measure giving Ian McKellen the larger theatrical footprint.

Ranking longevity favors Ian McKellen, whose advantage across ranked seasons gives the comparison more long-range context. Based on the available ranking data, the balance stays evenly split without turning the result into a subjective judgment of acting quality.