The friendship between The Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien and The Chronicles of Narnia’s C.S. Lewis is now set to inspire its own movie. Considered the founding fathers of modern fantasy, the two authors not only penned the genre’s most influential works, but also maintained a decades-long friendship that began during their days working at Oxford University.
Per Collider, John Hendrix’s 2024 graphic novel The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien is set to receive an animated movie adaptation courtesy of Burns & Co., helmed by Justin Strawhand (Birthright Outlaw). First released in January 2024, the original book was also nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work at this year’s SDCC.
Releasing a statement in conjunction with the movie announcement, Hendrix suggested that he is eager to see how his book will translate into a new medium under the stewardship of Burns & Co. Check out his comments below:
I am thrilled to have Burns & Co. adapting The Mythmakers into a feature-length, animated film. I knew from our first conversation that their team really understood the book and shared my love for the mythology behind Lewis, Tolkien, the Inklings, and the worlds they built together.
The Mythmakers book itself was a five-year project, but in many ways, the story began in my own heart when I first read The Hobbit when I was 10 years old. I am eager to see how the amazing team led by Aaron Burns translates that nostalgic wonder many of us share to a new audience, in a new medium. As Lewis and Tolkien have taught us, art gets better in community, and I’m excited to share this story with a larger fellowship on the big screen.
What The Mythmakers Movie Means For Fantasy Fans
The Film Will Bring The Authors’ Real-Life History To A Wider Audience
Few authors have had the same kind of lasting impact on fantasy fiction and popular culture as Tolkien and Lewis. Not only are the pair’s respective books hailed as some of the genre’s most significant works decades after their initial publication, but both Narnia and Middle-earth have since transcended the page to become important cornerstones of modern pop culture.
While some of the more avid fans of the pair may already be familiar with Tolkien and Lewis’s friendship and the impact of the Oxford-based literary group known as the Inklings, this latest project will likely see that history brought to the attention of a much wider fan base.
Our Take On The Mythmakers Movie Announcement
The Timing Coincides With Plans To Bring Both Franchises Back To Screens
With Warner Bros. currently expanding The Lord of the Rings franchise, and Netflix pursuing its own Chronicles of Narnia reboot, the timing of The Mythmakers movie has probably never been better. As these new movies reignite interest in the two fantasy worlds, there is likely to be an increased appeтιтe for learning about the writers responsible for creating them.
Whether the new animated adaptation can match the initial buzz surrounding Hendrix’s Eisner-nominated graphic novel remains to be seen. However, the premise behind The Mythmakers is likely to draw the attention of many pᴀssionate fantasy fans enchanted by the magical worlds of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Source: Collider
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The Lord of the Rings
- Created by
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J.R.R. Tolkien
- First Film
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The Lord of the Rings (1978)
- Cast
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Norman Bird, Anthony Daniels, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Morfydd Clark, Mike Wood, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charlie Vickers, Markella Kavenagh, Megan Richards, Sara Zwangobani, Daniel Weyman, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Lenny Henry, Brian Cox, Shaun Dooley, Miranda Otto, Bilal Hasna, Benjamin Wainwright, Luke Pasqualino, Christopher Guard, William Squire, Michael Scholes, John Hurt
- TV Show(s)
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- Video Game(s)
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The Lord of the Rings Online (dupe), Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
- Movie(s)
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The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon тιтled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
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The Chronicles of Narnia
- Created by
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C.S. Lewis
- First Film
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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- Cast
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Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Skandar Keynes, Anna Popplewell, Ben Barnes, Liam Neeson, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Will Poulter, Simon Pegg
- TV Show(s)
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The Chronicles of Narnia
- Video Game(s)
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The Chronicles Of Narnia
- Latest Film
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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Chronicles of Narnia is a fantasy franchise based on the seven-book series written by C.S. Lewis between 1950 and 1956. The series is set in the magical world of Narnia, where children from our world are transported to fulfill prophecies, battle evil forces, and restore peace under the guidance of Aslan, a mystical lion. The franchise has seen multiple adaptations, including a BBC television series in the late 1980s, three major Hollywood films between 2005 and 2010, and an upcoming reboot by Netflix, which has generated significant anticipation. The franchise is beloved for its rich allegorical storytelling, blending Christian themes with epic fantasy elements.
