J.R.R. Tolkien's eventful life eventually gave him the inspiration to write one of the most well-regarded series of books to ever hit publication: The Lord of the Rings. But the story behind the man himself has rarely been told, especially in the context of a major motion picture. Which is why Tolkien is a particularly interesting project to behold, and its lead an even more intriguing possibility. As of now, X-Men star Nicholas Hoult is the prime candidate to help bring this biopic to life.
The focus of Tolkien has been described as the story of J.R.R. Tolkien's friendship with his fellow classmates in boarding school, as well as the experiences they all faced while fighting World War I. With this younger period in Tolkien's life being the focus of the film, Hoult is at a prime age to play the role of the man who would be king of Middle-earth. What's even more interesting is how Hoult became the lead in the race to play young Tolkien. Interestingly enough, this is on top of the previously existing Tolkien biopic, Middle-earth, still in the works.
Apparently Nicholas Hoult;s performance in the upcoming film The Favorite had drawn the attention of Tolkien director, Dome Karukoski, which shot him to the head of the line when it came to consideration. Should Hoult sign on for the film, this would mark the second author he's played in recent history, with this year's Rebel in the Rye showcasing Hoult's acting chops in the role of Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger.
Of course, before this project announced by Deadline goes any further, there's one concern that's going to have to be addressed: the feelings of the Tolkien estate towards the production of Tolkien. The family will surely want some say in the story being told, and possibly some form of financial consideration. Not to mention, they'll probably want to give Nicholas Hoult their official seal of approval, should he be selected. One would think these hurdles were already cleared at this point and time, but seeing as the project is early enough in its production phase that everything's still up in the air, there's a chance that the could be saving that obstacle for last.
The creation of The Lord of the Rings is a subject that most fans of the books and films probably know only a select amount of information about. So Tolkien can teach everyone more about how the world of Hobbits and man came to be on the page. With Nicholas Hoult playing Tolkien, the film would see its lead in good hands. Fox Searchlight would do well to secure the talents of Hoult, and as soon as we hear any further information on his prospects in the role, we'll update you all with the latest news.
Nicholas Hoult can be next seen in Rebel in the Rye, when it releases on September 15th.
