HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON
#3
#1
#3
#1
21
11
1
2
42.5
39.3
20
20
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King $377.0 Million
Chicago $170.7 Million
$1.5 Billion
Box Office
$933.4 Million
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CAREER RANKING HISTORY
FILMOGRAPHY COMPARISON
Ian McKellen
21 theatrical releases • $1.5 Billion Domestic
| Year | Movie | Domestic Box Office Domestic BO |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | X2: X-Men United | $214.9 Million |
| 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | $377.0 Million |
| 2002 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | $339.8 Million |
| 2001 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | $313.4 Million |
| 2000 | X-Men | $157.3 Million |
Renee Zellweger
23 theatrical releases • $944.7 Million Domestic
| Year | Movie | Domestic Box Office Domestic BO |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Shark Tale | $160.9 Million |
| 2004 | Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason | $40.2 Million |
| 2003 | Down With Love | $20.3 Million |
| 2003 | Cold Mountain | $95.6 Million |
| 2002 | White Oleander | $16.4 Million |
Career Comparison Summary AI-generated historical comparison. Click to expand.
Note: Films released during the selected year influence the following year's rankings.
As of the selected ranking year, Ian McKellen and Renee Zellweger form a comparison shaped more by career pattern than by any single credit. The biggest-hit category sharpens the box office contrast, especially because Ian McKellen's leading film creates the stronger single-release benchmark.
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 Renee Zellweger while still showing distinct strengths on each side.