7 1
Age 87

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON

Age 68

#41

Current Rank

#40

#3

Peak Rank

#7

43

Years Ranked

41

6

Years in Top 10

4

28.2

Average Rank

30.3

42

Theatrical Releases

40

Beauty and the Beast $504.0 Million

Biggest Hit

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

$3.9 Billion

Career Domestic
Box Office

$1.8 Billion

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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.

At this point in the rankings, Ian McKellen versus Viggo Mortensen is best read as a compact career snapshot rather than an all-time verdict. The category score gives Ian McKellen the broader edge, though the result remains a comparison of career outcomes rather than personal popularity.

Commercial scale is another meaningful divider, with the career domestic box office measure giving Ian McKellen the larger theatrical footprint. Taken together, the comparison suggests leans toward Ian McKellen while still showing distinct strengths on each side.

CAREER RANKING HISTORY

Ian McKellen Viggo Mortensen

FILMOGRAPHY COMPARISON

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

Viggo Mortensen

40 theatrical releases • $1.8 Billion Domestic

Year Movie Domestic Box Office Domestic BO
2026 I Love Boosters $9.7 Million
2024 The Dead Don't Hurt $752,964
2022 Crimes of the Future $2.5 Million
2018 Green Book $85.1 Million
2016 Captain Fantastic $5.9 Million