Two of the biggest Christian actors are slated to star in a film about two of the 20th century’s most prominent Christian writers. Actors Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains, Left Behind, and Fireproof), and Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon, Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ) are slated to star as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien in an upcoming still untitled movie.
Other names attached to this film are Reese Witherspoon as Edith Tolkien, and Kirk Cameron’s real life wife, Chelsea Noble, as Joy Davidman. Ironically, two actors who have already portrayed characters created by both men will also have major roles in the film. Sean Astin ( Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings) will play fellow Inkling Charles Williams, and Ray Winstone (the voice of Mr. Beaver in LWW) will play Major Warren “Warnie” Lewis. The film is slated to begin filming sometime this December in Canada.
“Cameron and Gibson are perfect for these roles,” says one insider. “Cameron was an Agnostic who came to Christ and has become an outspoken defender of the faith much like Lewis was, and Gibson is a devout Roman Catholic like Tolkien was.”
There is some concern about how convincing most of the cast will be at playing roles, especially when Ray Winstone is the only actor who comes close to being from the same country as the person he is portraying.
“Well, Gibson wasn’t Scottish, but he made a fine William Wallace in Braveheart,” says another insider. “We can only imagine he will make a fine Tolkien too. The same goes for Reese Witherspoon. She did a great job as June Carter Cash in Walk the Line, it only stands to reason she’ll do another amazing job as Edith Tolkien. I am sure moviegoers will be pleasantly surprised.”
“I smell Oscar gold!” says one studio exec. “This film will have everything!”
Fans can be assured that Gibson will not be uttering “You can take away my life, but you cannot take away my Hobbits” at any time in the film. The film will not be a parody of the lives of the actors or the people they are playing, but plans to be a respectful, thoughtful and well done dramatic bio-pic about the lives of these two men and the friendship they shared.
“There will be some changes of course,” said one insider. “For example many Christians may be offended by the fact these men smoked and drank. We plan to omit that and instead have them sharing milk shakes and Oreo Cookies at the Eagle and Child. We will also minimize the fact that Joy Davidman was a divorcee. We won’t even mention what happened to her former husband, kind of like Mike and Carol’s first spouses on the Brady Bunch. After Fireproof, the last thing people want is to see a key Christian thinker, played by a major Christian actor, marrying a divorcee.”
Nothing else is known about the film at this time. However, there are some rumblings that a major name is attached to write it as well as direct it. Cloud Ten Pictures, the studio behind the Left Behind films, will help produce the film and insure a theological message.
Stay tuned to NarniaFans for more news on this exciting film!
Update: And here is an exciting excerpt from the script….
CS Lewis says to JRR Tolkien: APRIL FOOLS!!!!
This is cool too!!!!
They’ll need to age Gibson up significantly, I think. Or can CGI handle it? They have to be true to what actually happened. We fans who have been clamouring for such a movie want a really serious treatment. Not the joke hollywood often makes of such films.
I’m particularly eager to see how Chelsea Noble and Reese Witherspoon would handle the famous Cambridge dinner scene. I can’t imagine either of these two playing these roles. And particularly not THAT scene.
Oh well. Fingers crossed.
Dear Lord, I hope this is an April Fool’s piece…
LOL. Happy April 1, everyone!
I will stay tuned to NarniaFans for the news of wether this is an April fool or not
Definitely April Fools.
I’m sure Mr. Cameron would try his best on character portrayal, if ’twere true, but his face is an inconceivable fit. :p
“April Fools”
Changing smoking and drinking to milk and cookies at the Bird and the Babe? Right. 100% April fool’s.
Wow! I actually believed that at first!!
Please, NarniaFans.
Tell us tomorrow, if this is an April fool.
Cloud Ten Pictures? This will totally suck! The Left Behind movies were so bad!! Everybody blames Kirk for this, but it was Cloud Ten. Kirk proved he was a great actor in Fireproof.
I like the idea, I love Kirk Cameron and what ever Mel Gibson might have done to offend anyone, that is between “GOD” and him and is none of our business. We don’t judge only “GOD” judges.
While I’m very happy at the prospect of this movie, I do have some reservations. The fact that they will be ‘playing down’ certain truths about the aspects of their lives (e.g. drinking beer in an English pub, Joy’s marital status) makes me a bit skeptical about how ‘authentic’ this movie will be.
Part of the allure of these greatly admired people are the qualities that also make them quite human and accessible. Removing these details (and who knows what else) will not give an accurate portrayal of them.
tricksy……
ha i almost believed it until the bit about the milk and cookies.
But they actually should make a movie about the inklings.
It would be so good!
I think that this is gonna be good! I’m gonna be there opening day! I can’t wait for this to come out! I’m excited about Kirk Cameron being there! I saw him in Fireproof and the Left Behind movie series! He’s awesome! I hope he’ll make a good CS Lewis. I’m excited about Mel Gibson too! I saw him in The Passion of the Christ and I’m excited to see him in this role!
I bet this movie will be a great success as there are so many Chronicles of Narnia movies fans now!
i cant wait! im like lord of the rings and narnia fans and j.r.r. tolkien and c.s. lewis fans! their the best! but (not to be offending) c.s. lewis was kinda ummmmmm big, and i dont now how thier gonna make kirk cammeron look like him. but i cant wait for the movie! sorry for the people i offended…..yeah sorry
Oreos and milkshakes at the Eagle and Child! Holy smokes! That sums up the hilarity of the whole idea. Boo! to any would-be fans!
oh c’mon!!! lol, i absolutely love Mel Gibson’s acting and his directing is phonomenal…. i totally look up to him when it comes to those two criterias… what a bummer this really isn’t happening… what a cool script that would be!!!!!!!!!!!