A biopic of acclaimed Lord Of The Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien has been in the works since at least the autumn of 2013. We heard very little of it since then, but Fox Searchlight has unveiled the cast and given the film a release date out of nowhere.
Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins will star in the film, which will examine the author’s life, focusing on his formative years at Pembroke College and as a soldier during World War I, and how those events would later influence his literary work.
Previously, comparisons had been made to the Academy Award-winning Finding Neverland, which told the story of J.M. Barrie, who created Peter Pan, and also Saving Mr. Banks, which focused on Walt Disney trying to obtain the rights for Mary Poppins from author P.L. Travers.
More recently, the film might match the tone of Goodbye Christopher Robin, which focused on Winnie The Pooh author A.A. Milne, drawing on his traumatic military experiences and how they shaped both his worldview and his work.
A Tolkien biopic had previously tried to be developed under the title Mirkwood, but his estate obstructed the project. It seems likely that they are on board this time around.
The film will be directed by Dome Karukoski, with the screenplay written by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford. Some of the ensemble starring alongside Hoult and Collins include Colm Meaney, Anthony Boyle, Laura Donnelly, and Derek Jacobi.
The film will arrive in cinemas Friday, May 10.
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