(no subject)

[silversolitaire]

Okay... I'm now officially confused. This morning I was reading the rumors on Ian McKellen's official website where he says:

Rumour, 14 November 2002: "There's a rumour on the Net that Sir Ian is going to play Professor Dumbledore in the next Harry Potter movie, following the sad passing of Richard Harris. Is this true? It would be wonderful if it IS true, but I know how easily these rumours start, so I'm not getting too excited yet! Perhaps you could just let me know "officially"? (Maybe he doesn't want to be typecast as an elderly man with a flowing white beard!) Thanks."

Fact: Ian McKellen has NOT agreed to succeed the late Richard Harris in the role of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies. He has expressed interest in perhaps playing a different role some time in the future of the series.

Source: http://www.mckellen.com/rumours/index.htm

Now I look at IMDB and it says there:

McKellen Heads to Hogwarts

British acting knight Sir Ian McKellen will replace the late Richard Harris as Professor Albus Dumbledore in the third Harry Potter movie. The 63-year-old star, who also plays wizard Gandalf in the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, is set to appear in the third installments of both rival films - after signing to take on the role of the Hogwarts headmaster in Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. McKellen takes over the role from Harris - who died of cancer in October. Movie bosses had hoped to cast Harris in the new film - which is due to begin filming in February - by using computer animation and film footage. But they found they did not have the required film available. Fellow Brit Christopher Lee - another Lord Of The Rings star - was among those tipped to replace Harris. A source on the Warner Bros movie set says, "Everyone has been sworn to secrecy about Ian McKellen getting the role of Dumbledore. One of the production staff let it slip and now it is spreading like wild fire. He got the part just before Christmas but Warner's won't announce it until the New Year. Bosses thought he was the perfect replacement for Harris and, as we all know, he is capable of playing the part of a wizard. They are not worried about people getting The Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter confused. They are two very different films."

Source: http://us.imdb.com/PeopleNews/

WTF? What's true now? Also, I really don't understand the excitement about it... I must admit, when I read this I felt my stomach clench in disappointment. Why? Because even though I love Ian and I think he's a fantastic actor I just don't want to see him as Dumbledore. To me he's Gandalf (among many other roles, but since this is the most vivid impression on my mind right now...) and agreeing to play Dumbledore would but such a bad bad move. Gandalf and Dumbledore already have been confused so many times. The characters themselves have often been compared and J.K. Rowling has often been accused of copying Gandalf. How would any sane person do such a thing? Especially since Prisoner and RoTK would be in the theaters pretty close together. This would be such a brainfuck... and such a bad move, economywise... I just hope it's a bad rumor... I really do... Sorry for everyone who loves the idea...

Comments

[titania-4.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I read on the Leaky Cauldron that WB was going to announce next week that McKellen would play Dumbledore. I don't know how I feel about it...I think he's a great actor and would play Dumbledore really well but to me he's first Magneto from X-Men and then Gandalf. It would be so confusing to have him in both LotR and HP. Although, out of the other actors rumoured to play Dumbledore, I'm rooting for McKellen out of them.

[kribban.livejournal.com]

trust me. Ian will not play Dumbledore.
He has said it before and this time he has EXPLICITLY said it.
OK? fell better now?
I heard that they were thinking about offering the part to the body double for dumbledore, what was his name: harry robinsson?

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

Yes, I heard that too... One can only hope... *meows*

[kribban.livejournal.com]

I think the best proff of the (lack of) reliability of these rumors is the swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, who wrote: "Ian McKellen has agreed do play Dumbledore. McKellen, who comes from Scotland..."