▁film ▁A pt ▁P up il , ▁which ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁Bry an ▁S inger ▁and ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁story ▁by ▁Stephen ▁King . ▁McK ellen ▁port rayed ▁a ▁fug itive ▁Naz i ▁officer ▁living ▁under ▁a ▁false ▁name ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁who ▁is ▁be fri ended ▁by ▁a ▁curious ▁te en ager ▁( B rad ▁Ren f ro ) ▁who ▁threat ens ▁to ▁expose ▁him ▁unless ▁he ▁tells ▁his ▁story ▁in ▁detail . ▁He ▁was ▁subsequently ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁Academy ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁A ctor ▁for ▁his ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁film ▁God s ▁and ▁Mon sters , ▁where in ▁he ▁played ▁James ▁Wh ale , ▁the ▁director ▁of ▁Show ▁Bo at ▁( 1 9 3 6 ) ▁and ▁Fran ken stein . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁McK ellen ▁was ▁cast , ▁again ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Bry an ▁S inger , ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁com ic ▁book ▁super villa in ▁Mag net o ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁film ▁X - Men ▁and ▁its ▁sequ els ▁X 2 : ▁X - Men ▁United ▁( 2 0 0 3 ) ▁and ▁X - Men : ▁The ▁Last ▁Stand ▁( 2 0 0 6 ). ▁He ▁later ▁repr ised ▁his ▁role ▁of ▁Mag net o ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 ' s ▁X - Men : ▁Days ▁of ▁Future ▁Past , ▁sharing ▁the ▁role ▁with ▁Michael ▁F ass b ender , ▁who ▁played ▁a ▁younger ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁character ▁in ▁ 2 0