X-Men: All 5 Magneto actors ranked from worst to best

We've seen more actors play Magneto than you might think, but which version of the legendary X-Men character is the best?

By Michael Patterson | Mar 7, 2024, 10:07 PM EST

akb_dtlra_stills_120415.089228 – Erik/Magneto (Michael Fassbender) has the power to manipulate magnetic fields. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox. /

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4. Tom Kane

Appeared in: Wolverine and the X-Men

Another actor whose Magneto performance we simply don't appreciate enough is Tom Kane's. He voiced the character in the 2009 animated series Wolverine and the X-Men, appearing in 13 episodes of its 26-episode run. That should tell you how important Magneto was to the overall series' story and that certainly comes across in Kane' portrayal.

He understood the assignment well, approaching the iconic role with refinery, portraying Magneto almost as if he were an older, esteemed gentlemen. It's very striking and it once again highlights why the character's reputation precedes him. He lives up to that reputation in Wolverine and the X-Men, as seen in the scene above, and can take on the bulk of the X-Men without even breaking a sweat. Kane's calm tones conveyed this well, and it was really quite the thrill-ride to watch the character so at ease when being so dominant.

There are similarities between Kane's voice performance and Ian McKellen's live-action offering in Fox's X-Men film series and that's a good thing as McKellen's outing is undoubtedly the most iconic version of the character. It adds an air of regality to Magneto while also allowing Kane to do his own thing at the same time. The result is the perfect blend for this veteran, almost-unstoppable version of Magneto.

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