Sir Ian McKellen has spoken about his experience filming for the forthcoming Marvel film, Avengers: Doomsday, in which he reprises his role as Magneto. During a presentation in Rome, the 87-year-old actor revealed that he imagined wrecking Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate while filming a destructive scene for the film. Mar-a-Lago is the American president's private resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
McKellen's character, Magneto, unleashes large-scale destruction in the scene, which was filmed to depict the mutant leader's anger. The actor recalled that the directors, Anthony and Joe Russo, instructed him to appear more furious on screen, shouting 'Mar-a-Lago!' during filming. McKellen has been openly critical of Trump for years, particularly over his administration's stance on LGBTQ+ rights.
The forthcoming film, Avengers: Doomsday, is set to unite characters from across the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four franchises. It will be the first Avengers instalment since 2019's Avengers: Endgame, which grossed $2.799bn worldwide and became the second-highest-grossing film in cinema history. Avengers: Doomsday is expected to serve as the first half of a two-part story, concluding with Avengers: Secret Wars.
McKellen also announced that he is set to appear in the forthcoming Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, reprising his role as Gandalf. The film, directed by Andy Serkis, will feature a new storyline not written by author J.R.R. Tolkien. The project is set to be released on 17 December 2027, although a specific release date for Avengers: Doomsday has been announced as 18 December 2026.