The Hobbit: 6 Mis-Castings That Ruined It (And 4 That Were Perfect)

5. Sir Ian McKellen - Gandalf The Grey

Undoubtedly a controversial choice, considering how perfect McKellen was for Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but something felt decidedly wrong at times in The Hobbit. Perhaps it is simply the passage of time, or Jackson's attempt to over-emphasise the fact that this Gandalf is the Grey Version and not the improved White Version who appears in The Two Towers, by making him even more physically shabby than he was in Fellowship, but Gandalf looked tired all the way through An Unexpected Journey.

Even in Fellowship, the wizard had a regal poise, and a convincing power simmering under his surface that isn't quite as noticable in The Hobbit. Of course, the original text requires that his true nature is guarded from Bilbo to an extent, and he does handle the fight-scenes fairly well, but it is difficult to ignore the fact that the compromise in the character's power is just too much, and the characterisation with the LOTR Gandalf too similar at other times (this is supposed to be a noticably different character after all.)

Of course, there will no doubt be accusations of idiocy in response to this, as well as the inevitable "what was the alternative?" But perhaps the alternative was for this not to be made at all, as good as the few exceptional parts were. Because recasting Gandalf would have been a particularly difficult proposal, and would have no doubt ignited a venomous fan response.

It wasn't just Gandalf who stood out as comparatively poor in terms of the original LOTR cast. In fact...