Step right up, ladies and muggles, elves and squibs: It’s the showdown you’ve been demanding for ages! Wizard squares off against wizard this season and sparks will surely fly, and not just from faulty wands, as two of the most powerful fantasy characters of all time face off in a true test of magical prowess: conjuring up Samuel Beckett characters on the stage.
Sir Ian McKellen, a k a Gandalf from the “The Lord of the Rings” films, is playing Estragon, the earthier half of the duo in “Waiting for Godot,” opening Nov. 24 at Broadway’s Cort Theatre; fellow Brit Michael Gambon (formerly of “Harry Potter” fame) plays Dan, the blind husband in “All That Fall,” at 59e59 Theaters through Dec. 8. It’s a magical melee of epic proportions! Let’s see how the two conjuring competitors stack up:
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1. LONGEVITY
Dumbledore
Gambon took over the role of the 117-year-old headmaster of Hogwarts in six Harry Potter films, after the original Dumbledore, Richard Harris, died. But while Harris’ portrayal embodied the wizened, cryptic but mischief-prone sage that J.K. Rowling created, Gambon turned him into a reckless and hot-tempered hippie with a distinct lack of gravitas.Gandalf
He’s more than 2,000 years old and has had many lives: the Grey, the White, and about a dozen different names, probably because J.R.R. Tolkien did so much opium, even he couldn’t keep it straight. McKellen has played him in the three “Lord of the Rings” films, as well as the (unnecessarily long) “Hobbit” trilogy that’s still in progress. At the rate director Peter Jackson’s going, he’ll probably do another 25 sequels, such as “Gandalf Saves Christmas” and “Gandalf and Gandalfer To.”
Advantage: Gandalf
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2. POWERS
Dumbledore
He can wield his wand with immense power when fending off Voldemort, but he can also create whimsical things like magical ceilings and bewitched paintings. He seems to know every inch of magic available but keeps it in check with quiet restraint until the crucial moments. His greatest power? An unflinching belief in the goodness of people, even that jerk Snape.Gandalf
He’s seemingly immortal, and uses his powers so sparsely it makes you wonder whether he really is magical or if he’s just some Middle Earth Criss Angel. Why didn’t you just use your giant bird friends to carry Frodo all the way to the mountain, huh? Did your magical training not cover the upper body strength that would have saved you from the suicide plunge with the Balrog? Great, your staff has a flashlight on it — so do our iPhones.Advantage: Dumbledore
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3. SEX APPEAL
Dumbledore
That beard may have been a hit with the headmistresses of Hogwarts, but too bad for them: Dumbledore was a big ol’ gay wizard, as Rowling revealed after the final book was released.Gandalf
We never quite see what Gandalf is packing under those robes — was that big staff compensating for something? — but in real life, McKellen is a noted activist for gay rights.Advantage: Tie
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4. GOLD
Dumbledore
The eight Harry Potter movies stacked up a staggering $2.3 billion at the box office, enough gold that Dumbledore would have to hire some extra dragons at Gringotts to keep guard.Gandalf
The “LOTR” trilogy and Part 1 of “The Hobbit” have raked in only $1.3 billion so far, so there’s a long way to go if Gandalf wants to keep hoarding that precious, precious gold.Advantage: Dumbledore
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5. POSSE
Dumbledore
The headmaster rounds up a ragtag bunch of witches and wizards for his underground Order of the Phoenix, a sort of magical A-Team. Members include a werewolf, some government wonks working undercover, an escaped felon, a half-giant and a dragon tamer.Harry takes up the cause and starts his own secret society at Hogwarts too: Dumbledore’s Army, who get ready to go all “Red Dawn” up in that piece.
Gandalf
The famed Fellowship of the Ring is an impressive bunch: an elf, a dwarf, a handful of hobbits and, some sword-wielding badasses, not to mention freaking Ned Stark. But the fellowship splinters after just half a movie. Makes you wonder if this is one of those phony Who’s Who high school scams that just wants your membership money for fake prestige.Advantage: Dumbledore
Overall winner: Dumbledore. McKellen may have stolen our hearts with his adorable tour-of-New-York tweets with Patrick Stewart, but when it comes down to wizard vs. wizard, you don’t need a Sorting hat to realize that Gambon wields the top wand.