Biopic will reportedly center on the friendship between writers J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis
'Tolkien & Lewis' would chronicle the relationship between 'Lord of the Rings' writer Tolkien and 'The Chronicles of Narnia' author Lewis.
C.S. Lewis (l.) and J.R.R. Tolkien (r.) will be the subjects of a new biopic.
L: AP R: John Chillingworth/HarperCollins/AP
The famous friendship between fantasy authors J.R.R. Tolkien of “The Lord of the Rings” and C.S. Lewis of “The Chronicles of Narnia” will reportedly be the subject of a film.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, a movie titled “Tolkien & Lewis” will be released by the film company Attractive Films, which is based in the UK and Australia, and will be directed by Simon West, who was behind “The Expendables 2.”
The film is said to be set during the beginning of World War II. Tolkien is believed to have been instrumental in bringing Lewis back to Christianity. According to the Guardian, the film plans to explore some tension that developed in the relationship between the two men as Lewis became famous for his religious beliefs. Apparently Tolkien and Lewis also differed in their opinions in some areas of theology.
“Lewis becoming the poster boy for Christianity upset Tolkien," Attractive Films CEO Wernher Pramschufer told the Hollywood Reporter. "And obsessive genius Tolkien is blocked, terrified of finishing The Fellowship of the Ring, for fear of the strange, psychotic visions which torture him.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, “Tolkien & Lewis” is set to be released this spring.
As we previously reported, Fox Searchlight has a Tolkien biopic planned that would be written by David Gleeson. This film is expected to have a tighter focus on the academic career of Tolkien, as well as his service in World War I. However, the project does not have a director yet, according to Entertainment Weekly.