Perhaps I’m still smarting from the unnecessarily long “The Hobbit” trilogy, but the last thing I want to be reminded of at the moment at the movies is “Middle Earth.” But J.R.R. Tolkien isn’t done on the big screen, as a biopic about the famed writer’s life is on the way. Let’s just hope it sticks to a single movie.
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Deadline reports that James Strong (“United,” “Downton Abbey,” “Broadchurch“) has been tapped to direct the Black List biopic script by Angus Fletcher. The film will tell the story of the early years of Tolkien, revolving around his relationship with Edith Bratt and his experiences during World War I, which would later inspire the stories he would spin from Middle Earth in “The Hobbit” and “The Lord Of The Rings.” To the dismay of his family, Tolkien delayed being enlisted by choosing to finish his degree first, but he did wind up in the Battle Of The Somme. Meanwhile, he kept Edith aware of where he was located by sending her coded messages through the mail.
Sounds like some compelling stuff, and with Fletcher spending years researching Tolkien for the screenplay, there’s plenty to work with. No word yet on when it might shoot, but everyone is taking their time, with project being presented to buyers in February at the Berlin Film Festival. And I won’t be surprised if we find out who’s playing Tolkien before that happens.