JRR Tolkien's family does 'not endorse' upcoming biopic
The JRR Tolkien family and the Tolkien estate on Tuesday said they do "not endorse" the biopic on the iconic author of "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" series, set to be released next month.
Titled "Tolkien", Nicholas Hoult plays the eponymous character in the film, directed by Finnish helmer Dome Karukoski. The family and estate in a statement, acquired by The Hollywood Reporter, said they wished to "make clear that they did not approve of, authorise or participate in the making" of the film, which recounts the years of toil and imagination that gave the novelist the inspiration for his storytelling in the early 20th century.
"They do not endorse it or its content in any way," the statement added.
A representative confirmed that the family is yet to watch the film and the statement was not regarding any particular scene or element of the story. They added that the estate had been approached about biopics in the past without ever giving its approval.
The biopic, which also features Lily Collins, Colm Meaney, Derek Jacobi, Mimi Keene and Pam Ferris, is due to land on May 10, more than 46 years after Tolkien's death.
"Tolkien" is also the first Fox Searchlight film to be distributed by Disney since its multi-billion dollar acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
