In X-Men: Days of Future Past, who plays the older version of Magneto?

Ian McKellen plays the older version of Magneto in X-Men: Days of Future Past.

The film uses time travel to bring together two generations of X-Men characters. McKellen portrays the older Erik Lehnsherr in the dystopian future, while Michael Fassbender portrays the younger Magneto during the 1970s portion of the story.

This dual casting allows the film to connect the original trilogy with the prequel continuity. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine travels back in time to try to prevent the event that leads to the future’s mutant-hunting Sentinels. Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy similarly portray older and younger versions of Charles Xavier.

Ian McKellen had already played Magneto in X-Men, X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand. Days of Future Past was directed by Bryan Singer and released in 2014, making its generational casting central to the film’s structure.