ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd, ˈiːən wʌz kˈæst æz tˈuː dʒˌɛnɚɹˈeɪʃənz ʌvðɪ ˈiːvəl ˈɜːl ʌv ʃɹˈuːsbɛɹi ɪnðə lˈɔŋɹˈʌnɪŋ fˈɪlm stˈɪl ɐkˈʌmpəniɪŋ ˈæltən tˈaʊɚz hˈɛks θɹˈɪlɹˈaɪd, ɪnwˌɪtʃ hiː plˈeɪz bˈoʊθ ðə ɡɹˈændfɑːðɚ ænd hɪz mˈædsˈaɪəntɪst ɡɹˈændsʌn ɐtˈɛmptɪŋ tə fɹˈiː ðɛmsˈɛlvz əvə fˈeɪɾəl fˈæmɪli kˈɜːs.
In 2000, Ian was cast as two generations of the evil Earl of Shrewsbury in the long-running film still accompanying Alton Towers' Hex thrill-ride, in which he plays both the grandfather and his mad-scientist grandson attempting to free themselves of a fatal family curse.