J.R.R. Tolkien Biopic Includes a Wealth of Irish Talent

Dublin native Colm Meaney (The Journey) tops the cast list, followed by Patrick Gibson (The Darkest Minds), Genevieve O’Reilly (The Honourable Woman), Laura Donnelly (Channel 4’s Sugar Rush) and Anthony Boyle (Derry Girls).

In addition to the aforementioned actors, Limerick native David Gleeson joins the list of Irish talents as one of the movie’s two script-writers, alongside Stephen Beresford.

Fox Searchlight unveiled the cast alongside the film’s official synopsis:

Tolkien explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school. This takes him into the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the “Fellowship” apart. 

Nicholas Hoult (The Favourite) will star as young Tolkien, in the midst of his years at Pembroke College, which would later have a significant influence on his written works.

Lily Collins (To the Bone, Les Misérables) will star opposite of Hoult, playing the role of Tolkien's wife, Edith.

Directed by Dome Karukoski, Tolkien will open in theatres May 10.