Film producers at Fox Searchlight Pictures are standing by their upcoming J. R. R. Tolkein biopic, after a statement from the celebrated author’s family insisted they “do not endorse [the film] or its content in any way”.
The upcoming biopic, titled Tolkien, sees Nicholas Hoult in the lead role of the Lord Of The Rings writer and will be out in UK cinemas next weekend.
However, the Tolkien estate has been quick to distance themselves from the film, insisting that they were not involved in its creation.
However, Fox Searchlight is maintaining that the film shows “utmost respect and admiration for Mr. Tolkien and his phenomenal contribution to literature”.
“We are so proud of Dome Karukoski’s film TOLKIEN which focuses on the early years of J.R.R. Tolkien’s extraordinary life and does not depict subject matter from his novels,” a spokesman said, as reported by NME.
A trailer for Tolkien explains that the film explores “the formative years of the renowned author’s life as he finds friendship, courage and inspiration among a fellow group of writers and artists at school”. It also features Lily Collins as the writer’s wife, Edith.
This is far from the first time that a late star’s family have objected to the contents of a biopic.
Earlier this year, Green Book – which was awarded Best Picture at this year’s Oscars – was called into question by the family of celebrated jazz pianist Don Shirley.
When the film was released in US cinemas in November last year, Don’s relatives swiftly condemned it, with his brother, Maurice, issuing a statement which claimed the pianist “never considered Tony [Lip, his driver] to be his friend”.
“He was an employee, his chauffeur (who resented wearing a uniform and cap),” he said. “This is why context and nuance are so important. The fact that a successful, well-to-do Black artist would employ domestics that did NOT look like him, should not be lost in translation.”
They also claimed that nobody had contacted them while the film was in production.
In 2016, Mitch Winehouse declared Asif Kapadia’s film about his late daughter Amy “a disgrace”.
In one of the numerous media appearances he made around the time of the film’s release, Mitch hit out at the filmmakers, stating: “There’s just no balance… it’s portraying me and my relationship with Amy in not a very good light. They had a pretty clear agenda of how they wanted this film.”
Tolkien arrives in UK cinemas on Friday May 3.