Ian McKellen

Thanks to his roles in the X-Men and Lord of the Rings franchises, Ian McKellen has become an iconic part of mainstream pop culture, earning him notoriety with geeky fans he may never have had if he’d stuck to theatre and more serious, prestige roles. And if Tom Cruise had his way, McKellen might not have taken those roles and become the pop culture icon he is today.

At this point, prequels are pretty well played out. They’re frustrating to begin with, since by their very nature they tell backstories instead of stories, and after being inundated with Hollywood prequels for several years in the late 2000s and early ’10s, whatever appetite audiences had for them is long gone. So maybe the future is in postquels; movies set long after the adventures of heroes we know. If so, Mr. Holmes could be the start of a whole new trend.

This live-action Beauty and the Beast movie is assembling a rather impressive cast so far: Emma Watson is playing Belle opposite Dan Stevens’ hunky Beast, which is exciting enough before you even get to the supporting cast. Joining our two leads now is Sir Ian McKellen — your favorite Magneto and mine — as Cogsworth, the castle’s butler who is transformed into a talking clock.

Here’s what we know about ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’: Bryan Singer’s follow-up to ‘Days of Future Past’ will focus more on the ‘First Class’ cast facing off with Oscar Isaac’s titular comic book villain Apocalypse (perhaps the most formidable villain in X-Men history), and Singer is looking to cast younger versions of Cyclops, Storm, and Jean Grey. Given that the film focuses more on the younger versions of the characters, it’s not entirely shocking to learn that two of the most beloved, older cast members won’t be returning.

There seem to be two paths for monumentally popular pieces of art and entertainment once the initial excitement around them begins to wear off. Either they become a cultural touchstone, and become a part of the fabric of everyday communication, or they become a footnote, a piece of trivia relevant only as nostalgia and an occasional answer at bar trivia. I revisit Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy every few years, because I desperately want it to be the former and not the latter.

Having gone on an unexpected journey and endured the desolation of Smaug, Peter Jackson’s bloated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ finally comes to ‘The Battle of the Five Armies,’ which is less of a climax to this trilogy than a distended epilogue. After spending two movies and 330 minutes building up the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) as the ultimate antagonist, he’s eliminated from the story completely in the first ten minutes. He’s literally gone before the title appears onscreen.

The final 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' trailer has arrived and, well, it looks like another 'Hobbit' movie. If your faith in director Peter Jackson's vision of Middle-Earth remains unshaken, prepare to get excited. If the previous two films have muted your excitement for the series, prepare to see...more of the same.

The new 'Hobbit 3' banner is basically a "Top 10"-y list of things to look forward to in the film. Taking the same storyboard format as previous key art for the earlier installments, this latest poster chronicles some of the epic moments to come, including a fiery showdown with the dragon Smaug and one blood-spattered battle.

With the arrival of the 'Hobbit 3' trailer, it's finally starting to sink in that our time in Middle Earth is coming to an epic finish. What began with 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' 13 years ago will officially end this December...

We've had an 'Unexpected Journey' and seen the 'Desolation of Smaug,' and now this year Peter Jackson brings us the conclusion of the trilogy with 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.' With six months still left ahead before we catch up with Bilbo and friends, it's about time we get our first look at the final chapter in their story.