by: S. Scott Stanikmas

From mutant to wizard to…timepiece?

Sir Ian McKellan, known for his roles as the mutant master of metal Magneto from the X-Men franchise and the wizard Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, has signed on to Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast.

The knighted actor joins Emma Watson, Luke Evans, Dan Stevens and Josh Gad in the Bill Condon-helmed feature.

Variety reports that McKellan will play Cogsworth. In the original animated film, Cogsworth was the Beast’s loyal butler before being turned into a mantle clock.

The 1991 animated feature was one of Disney’s most successful movies, even becoming one of the few animated films to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.

Production is set to begin later this year for the film to hit theaters March 17, 2017