JRR Tolkien's family hit out at new film about Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit author
The Tolkien Estate says it wants to make clear that the family "did not approve of, authorise or participate" in the film.
Tuesday 23 April 2019 15:12, UK
The family of author JRR Tolkien have said they do not approve of the upcoming biopic film made about his life.
Famed for creating The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, the British author's fantasy works have created a global franchise of films.
Tolkien, the biopic of his own life starring Nicholas Hoult, is due to premiere in the UK next week.
Ahead of the red carpet event, the author's family have issued a statement - their first regarding the film - saying they do not endorse the Fox Searchlight production "in any way".
The Tolkien Estate statement said: "The family of JRR Tolkien and the Tolkien Estate are aware of the Fox Searchlight motion picture entitled Tolkien that is due for release in May 2019.
"The family and the Estate wish to make clear that they did not approve of, authorise or participate in the making of this film.
"They do not endorse it or its content in any way."
The new film charts the author's early life, his friendships with fellow writers and his relationship with wife Edith Bratt, played by Lily Collins, covering the experiences that would later inspire his famous novels.
Relatives of Tolkien are understood to consistently turn down approaches to make biopics.
The Tolkien Estate comprises a company which manages publishing interests and a charitable trust which makes grants to causes including alleviating poverty.