Without a doubt, J.R.R. Tolkien has become one of the most iconic and literary figures in history. This is the man who, in the wake of The Lord of the Rings, influenced generations of fantasy authors, and established many of the tropes we see in the genre today. It is also through his work that we got the acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy from director Peter Jackson, which is widely considered to be a hallmark of fantasy cinema — and cinema in general.

Sure, J.R.R. Tolkien may not have known how to create dramatic tension if his life depended on it, but there is no denying the rich, textured world he created with Middle-earth. If you’re like this geek, then you’ve pored over those Blu-ray special features that chronicled the creation of this world in print form. It was only a matter of time that the story behind the story was told in film form.

Now, a report from Deadline is stating that the film titled Middle Earth, a biopic that covers “the tumultuous events that inspired his iconic novels The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.” The film is set to be helmed by UK director James Strong. He may not be a household name, but he’s done reliable work on such high profile shows as Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, and Broadchurch. The script he’ll be directing a script from Black List writer Angus Fletcher, who’d written the script based on over six years of research.

Also notable is the fact that Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne — the two who greenlit Lord of the Rings while at New Line — are on board to produce the biopic.

Below is Deadline’s description of the film’s synopsis:

“Story follows Tolkien’s early life and love affair with Edith Bratt, whom he later married. The couple lived happily in Oxford, surrounded by friends, but when war broke out in 1914 Tolkien embarked on four years of battle and hardship, an experience that influenced his Middle Earth stories.”

As stated above, this is definitely material worth covering. Tolkien was nothing short of a genius, and any extra insight into the creation of this masterpiece is welcome. Admittedly, the OCD nerd inside me cringes slightly at the film’s title, Middle Earth, which omits the dash and lowercase “e” in the name of his world, which is actually written out as “Middle-earth.” I’m confident that detail (and me noticing) says more about me than it does about the filmmakers, however.

What do you think of this news? Would you be on board to check out a movie about Tolkien’s life? Let us know your comments down below!

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SOURCE: Deadline