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Tolkien biopic – news round-up

Following the announcement in July that Finnish director Dome Karukoski will direct a biopic of J.R.R. Tolkien, there have been a flurry a news stories announcing developments in the film.

Plot

The film is being written by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford and will focus on Tolkien’s experiences in the First World War, his early relationship with Edith, and the germs of his legendarium. According to the Verve, this will also include his friendships with Robert Gilson, Geoffrey Bache Smith, and Christopher Wiseman – collectively known as the Tea Club and Barrovian Society – as well as his struggles when

The script by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a fellow group of outcasts at school. This takes him into the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the “fellowship” apart. All of these experiences would inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-earth novels.

Nicholas Hoult as Tolkien

Hoult has starred in X-Men: First Class, Mad Max: Fury Road and About a Boy. He has also some experience of playing an author, portraying J.D. Salinger in the recently-released Rebel in the Rye

Lily Collins as Edith Bratt

Lily Collins – star of Rules Don’t Apply, Mirror, Mirror and Abduction – will portray Edith Bratt, Tolkien’s wife, in the film. Commenting on Twitter, Lily said “As a lifelong fan of Tolkien’s magic, I can’t wait to start this epic adventure…

Release date

No release date as yet.

About the Author: The Tolkien Society
The Tolkien Society is an educational charity and worldwide membership organisation devoted to promoting research into, and educating the public in, the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Society organises regular events (such as Oxonmoot and Tolkien Reading Day), publishes regular books and journal (such as Amon Hen and Mallorn), and is working towards a permanent home to Tolkien in the UK.