Reality and fantasy combine in first trailer for Tolkien biopic starring Nicholas Hoult

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And the sneak peek contains a huge nod to Tolkien's fantasy works as the author describes what might be his own life but could equally be his stories of Middle Earth, while the visuals echo that ambiguity: “It’s a story about journeys, a journey that needs to be taken to prove ourselves, it’s about adventures. It’s about proposing magic, a magic beyond anything ever felt before, about what it means to love and to be loved, about courage, it’s about fellowship.”

Helmed by Finnish director David Gleeson, the film also stars Colm Meaney (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Derek Jacobi (Doctor Who) and Anthony Boyle (who played Scorpius Malfoy in the original Harry Potter and the Cursed Child production).

Born in 1892, Tolkien is best known for writing The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and the collection of manuscripts The Silmarillion. He died in 1971, at the age of 82.

An Amazon TV series based on The Lord of the Rings book is currently in production.

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