Wizards, witches, sorcerers, mages – whatever you want to call them – have been a staple of the big and small screen ever since the Silent Era. There have been plenty of wonderful portrayals of magic workers on film, and plenty of terrible ones too. While some have followed the stereotypical ‘bearded mage’ depiction, others have had more interesting interpretations, particularly in modern cinema. 

Everyone will have their own particular favorite, but our top 10 offers a bit of something for everyone: 

1. Gandalf the Grey – LOTR/The Hobbit 

Is there a more beloved wizard in literature? Fans of the Lord of the Rings books were delighted with the performance of Sir Ian McKellen in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and he was still the best thing in the much-maligned Hobbit trilogy. McKellen captured all the wonderful contradictions of Gandalf: kind and dangerous; joyful and dark; frail and powerful. It was one of the most important casting decisions in modern cinema history, and they nailed it. 

2. Merlin – Various 

Merlin has appeared in a huge number of movies and TV shows, and he has popped up countless times in other media, such as comic books and online games like Power of Merlin Megaways found on popular gaming platforms like Pulsz. The question, though, is, what is the most iconic depiction of Merlin on screen? There have been some terrible portrayals of the Arthurian wizard, including one by Ringo Starr (yes, Ringo from The Beatles). However, readers of a certain age will have an affinity for the classic animated version of Merlin that appeared in The Sword and the Stone (1963). 

3. Willow Ufgood – Willow 

Regardless of how you feel about the revamped Disney+ series, many households with children in the 1980s had a well-worn VHS copy of Ron Howard’s Willow knocking about. The Newlyn wizard played by Warwick Davis follows the classic (and at times clichéd) coming-into-your-power path of wizadry, but the movie is bags of fun. Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) may steal a lot of the scenes with his swashbuckling swordplay, but Davis’ Willow is the heart of the movie. 

4. Albus Dumbledore – Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts 

One of the main criticisms thrown at the character of Dumbledore is that he is something of a copy of Gandalf. While that’s partly true, many of the two characters’ similarities are superficial only. They are both avuncular and classically bearded wizards, but Dumbledore has his own darker side that is both interesting and compelling to audiences. The key to the character is the juxtaposition between Dumbledore’s identity as the kindly headmaster of Hogwarts and his role as the powerful sorcerer and head of the Order of the Phoenix. Both Richard Harris and Michael Gambon received acclaim for their portrayals of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies, and Jude Law did a good job in the Fantastic Beasts prequel movies. 

5. Yennefer of Vengerberg – The Witcher 

The first female mage on this list, but one who warrants inclusion. Yennefer, who simultaneously served as the antagonist, love interest, and companion of Geralt in The Witcher series is perhaps the most complex of the characters on this list. Her story is a study in power, and what one does with it. Capable of great feats of magic, she nonetheless comes to understand that wielding power in and of itself is not the means to get what she wants. 

6. Saruman – LOTR/The Hobbit

Yes, we are picking two from the same series, but one would argue that Christopher Lee was born to play Saruman. Lee, in fact, wanted the Gandalf role, but with all due respect to the actor, the right choice was made. There are two crucial aspects that Lee brought to the role. First, the inimitable deep voice, which fans recognize as the “voice of Saruman”. Secondly, Lee’s sunken dark eyes. The next time you rewatch the LOTR trilogy (you do it every year, right?), have a look at Saruman’s eyes. Both menacing and tortured. Perfect casting once again. 

7. Doctor Strange – Various

When it comes to portraying mages on screen, there can be a fine line between looking a bit silly and pulling off a compelling performance. With Doctor Strange, Marvel could have easily fallen into silly territory to the detriment of the franchise. Thankfully, with Benedict Cumberbatch in the role, they avoided that calamity. Cumberbatch brings a weary dryness to the role that deftly avoids going full camp, despite being given some clunky dialogue. 

8. The Grand High Witch – The Witches 

Not really a wizard, sure. But we could not let the great Anjelica Huston’s performance in The Witches off this list. Huston is brilliant as the dastardly Grand High Witch, gruesome enough to give 90s kids recurring nightmares, but with enough gravitas to be compelling to adult audiences. She’s – by a distance – the best thing in the 1990 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s work. 

9. Jareth/The Goblin King – Labyrinth 

Talking of actors born to play a certain role: Could you imagine anyone but David Bowie playing Jareth in Labyrinth? Bowie’s skills as an actor were sometimes called into question, but he is perfect here as the Goblin King. In truth, he didn’t need to do much. He just needed to be “Bowie”, and that’s enough to mesmerize the audience. 

10. The Scarlet Witch – Various 

Some fans are torn in the direction that Marvel brought The Scarlet Witch, transforming her from heroine to villain. However, for our two cents, it’s infinitely more interesting to see the character’s descent into madness. Elizabeth Olsen shines in the role. 

  FOR FANBOYS, BY FANBOYS Have you checked out LRM Online’s official podcasts and videos on The Genreverse Podcast Network? Available on YouTube and all your favorite podcast apps, This multimedia empire includes The Daily CoG, Breaking Geek Radio: The Podcast, GeekScholars Movie News, Anime-Versal Review Podcast, and our Star Wars dedicated podcast The Cantina. Check it out by listening on all your favorite podcast apps, or watching on YouTube! Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts |  Spotify |  SoundCloud | Stitcher | Google Play